The Things In Question
by lilkorea
Summary: Seq: Rivals to Friends. A new Hokage must be named and strange things begin to happen. Haruhi questions her future and discovers another side to her origins. As the war draws near, a choice must be made, fight or surrender. YYHxBleachxNaruto
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This is the next installment of "Rivals to Friends". In this sequeal I will be combining YYH, Naruto, and Bleach. It'll be challenging and a huge risk, but hey, what's life without a little risk? There will be time skips and flashbacks which will leave you a little lost and confused, but it'll all make sense in the end. It always does. Now, please enjoy the first chapter of "The Things in Question".**

* * *

Chapter One 

"What the hell are you all spitting out? I can't handle a job like that!" Haruhi yelled, her voice carrying out into the hall where her teammates were all standing outside the door. The rookie nine were all present, along with Team Gai and several jounins that included Anko and Ibiki.

It had only been a week since the Hokage's funeral, and the next Hokage in question was being discussed among the village elders. And the sudden summoning to the Hokage's mansion for an ominous meeting was bringing up quite a few questions among the waiting group as Haruhi's screams were heard but the elder's were not.

"Man, I really wish we knew what Urameshi was screaming about." Kuwabara said.

"It has to be something important if they only asked for Haruhi's presence." Tenten said.

"But why just her? Why call us all here and not say a word?" Asuma asked.

"Good question. What I want to know is why the elders suddenly feel interested in only talking to Haru?" Susumu said.

"For crying out loud! Stop spouting all these big fancy words and tell it to me straight you old geezer!" everyone heard Haruhi yell.

"Well, whatever it is, it sure is pissing Haru-chan off." Anko said.

"NO WAY IN HELL WILL I DO THAT!" The doors then burst opened as a fuming Haruhi stormed out of the conference room, her face red from yelling. "FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT!"

"Haru-chan, wait…!" said an exhausted Koenma as he trailed after the Spirit Detective down the hall.

"I ALREADY SAID 'NO' TO YOU GUYS, AND NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY MY ANSWER WON'T CHANGE!" Haruhi ranted down the hall as the Prince of Spirit World tried to reason with the girl.

"Gee, I've never seen Urameshi so mad before." Kuwabara said.

"What a strange child she is." said an elderly woman dressed in fine robes as she came out to stand before the large party. Her old eyes looking down the hall after Haruhi as the ranting Spirit Detective turned a corner with Koenma right behind. "To refuse such an honorable position without hesitation. If it were anyone else I'm sure they would be honored."

"Refuse what, ma'am?" Sakura asked.

"Haruhi-dono refused to take on the title as the next Hokage." the elderly woman said. Everyone's eyes grew wide with utter surprise.

"WHAT?!" Naruto screamed.

"So much power she has, and doesn't know what to do with it." the old woman scuffed.

"Now, now. Let's not be harsh, too much is being expected from Haruhi-dono." said an elderly man as he came to stand beside the woman.

"She's still young, not seasoned enough, nor has she gone through the right training to become Hokage." Anko said.

"But she holds all of the right qualities." the old woman interjected. "Besides, the Sandaime had always given her such high praises about her accomplishments; it's only natural that we expect that insolent girl to take up the title. It's even written in his Will that she take his place if he had not chosen a successor."

"You serious?" Susumu asked, "Haru can barely watch over her little sister, what makes you think she can keep watch over an entire village?"

"She has the strength and will of a Hokage, she just lacks the etiquette. But that can be taught." said the old woman.

"She won't submit without a fight." Susumu said.

"Was this the reason why we were all summoned here?" Kakashi asked.

"Partly." the old man began, "And also because we and the council need the help of those closest to Haruhi-dono, to try and persuade her to take on the title as Godaime."

"Surely there must be someone else, someone older and more experienced such as yourselves?" Gai reasoned.

"Gai, they may have the skills of leading a nation but the lack of strength to back it up is obviously what's needed." Kakashi said.

"If we do persuade her to agree, she'll go down in history as the youngest Kage." Asuma said.

"And once word gets out that a child is leading the Fire Nation there's no doubt that every shinobi village will try to take advantage of that. Haru, after all, is a bit of a sucker." Ibiki said.

"It's far too risky." Kurenai said.

"A simple forceful 'push' will suffice." the old woman said.

"Like I said, she won't submit without a fight." Susumu sighed.

---

Team Asuma and Team Kakashi were the first to try to initiate the plan to persuade Urameshi Haruhi to take on the title of Hokage during Konoha's most vulnerable hour. They found Haruhi helping out in the Urameshi tavern where the two teams went in for a bite to eat, and to start the mission.

As suspected, Haruhi was avoiding their table, but it looked more like she was busy tending to the other tables since the tavern was practically full. After waiting for what seemed like eternity for Chouji, Haruhi finally came to their table with a tray stacked with tea cups and a hot pot of tea.

Sakura noticed that Haruhi was wearing a dark blue kimono with what was obviously the Urameshi clan's insignia. She found it rather fitting that a ghostly flame should be the insignia of the Urameshi clan.

Everyone made their orders and Haruhi scurried off to the kitchens to come back nearly a half hour later with their meal (since Chouji ordered more than the others). As Haruhi set the orders down in front of the right person, having done this so many times growing up, she learned how to memorize every order.

"Will that be all for now?" Haruhi asked, rather peeved that this lot had the nerve to come into her family's tavern after she stormed past them in the Hokage mansion. _No doubt that they know._ she thought.

Both Ino and Sakura stood up together, leaning onto the table as they said in unison, "Why won't you accept the title?!"

Silence fell throughout the tavern as everyone stared at them.

"Look, you two…" Haruhi began as calmly as she could, though her irritation wasn't missed as her eyebrow twitched and a vein was pulsing in her temple and her grip was beginning to crack the tray in her hands. "It's not important, so mind your _own_ damn business."

"Not exactly the approach I was going for." Shikamaru mused to himself as he broke his chopsticks to begin his meal.

"Psst! I have an idea!" Chouji whispered to everyone at the table. "Why not make her a big strawberry shortcake and drug it so that her senses will be impaired and she'll agree to taking the title."

"That's not a really bad idea, Chouji." Ino said whispered back.

"I'm standing right here, y'know?" Haruhi deadpanned. "Anyways, your plan won't work."

"How come?" Naruto asked.

"I'm allergic to strawberries." Haruhi simply stated.

"…And to peanuts and raspberries and pollen and bee stings…" Susumu listed off in a dull tone as he walked by with a tray full of dirty dishes.

"Well that plan failed quickly." Shikamaru lazily stated as Haruhi rolled her eyes and walked away.

---

"Do it!"

"No!"

"Do it!"

"No! You can't make me!"

"Darn it! I said: do it!"

Kuwabara had Haruhi in a head lock out on the court yard of the Kuwabara shrine. Haruhi being pinned to the ground by Kuwabara.

"Kuwabara, I don't think reverting to wrestling Haru-chan will make her change her mind." Kurama said, though he found the sight rather amusing. Especially when Haruhi suddenly threw Kuwabara off her back.

"Give it a rest, I already told Koenma and those old decrepit farts that I'm _not_ going to do it!" Haruhi said.

"But think about it, Haru-chan, this village will fall quickly to ruin if there isn't a strong figure to keep it standing." Kurama said. "The late Sandaime obviously has faith in you, and the council elders trust his decision, so it's obvious that they would entrust such a heavy burden onto you."

"I'm going home." Haruhi said, turning sharply on her heel and walking down the stone steps, back into the streets.

"That could've gone better." Kuwabara said.

"It's a rather large responsibility being thrown upon her shoulders, I wouldn't doubt it if the council did everything in their power to get Haruhi to accept." Kurama said. "She's already burdened with the duties of being a Spirit Detective, taking on the title of Hokage is too big a leap for her to take at once."

"Hey, I just noticed Hiei's not here." Kuwabara said, looking around the courtyard.

---

"Haruhi-san, let's go out together!" Ino said, as she and Sakura and Hinata were standing outside of the Urameshi main house's back gate.

Ino, Sakura and Hinata had come up with a plan on how to make Haruhi change her mind, but unfortunately for them, Haruhi saw through their guise. Without a warning, both Sakura and Hinata grabbed Haruhi's arms while Ino readied her mind transferring jutsu. But Haruhi was quick to pull out her communication mirror, and countered Ino's jutsu.

"Nice try." She said, as Ino fell unconscious by her own jutsu. "Hope you feel better, Hinata-chan." and then Haruhi shut the gate door in their faces.

---

Kiba was hiding behind a bush with Akamaru, spying on Haruhi who was practicing throwing her shuriken at a dummy target.

"Okay, Akamaru, you ready?" Kiba whispered. Akamaru licked his master's hand before running out of the bush and straight towards Haruhi.

"What the—?!" Haruhi said as she fell backwards from the force of the puppy jumping onto her. "Where did you come from?"

Akamaru was barking and licking Haruhi's face as Kiba came out with a net and threw it. With a yelp and whimper, Kiba realized he had captured his own pet.

"Where did she go?" Kiba wondered.

---

For three weeks it went on, the rookie nine trying to forcefully make Haruhi accept the title, and ultimately failing every time. Once, Sasuke was almost successful when he tied Haruhi down and used his Sharingan to hypnotize her. But no thanks to Naruto, his plan failed and Haruhi got away.

The jounin teachers on the other hand seemed to be keeping their distance, which made the genins all wonder what they were planning. Until one day, they each mysteriously ended up in the hospital. Kakashi had a broken ankle, Gai had a concussion, Asuma had three cracked ribs, and Kurenai had many bruises and a sprained wrist.

"There's just no talking to that girl." Asuma said with a bitter chuckle, lying in his hospital bed.

"I told you, didn't I? She won't submit too easily without a fight." Susumu said, standing by Asuma's bedside.

"Then what's left? We've tried reasoning with her and we even went as low as bribery." Kurenai said.

"Haru's just stubborn that way." Anko sighed.

"She's more then stubborn, the girl's determined." Kakashi said.

---

Neji sat with Haruhi at the stone memorial, both as quiet as that evening. Haruhi's knees were drawn up to her chest, her chin resting on them.

"Well?" Haruhi asked.

"Well, what?" Neji asked.

"Aren't you going to do something, to? Try and convince me to take on the title of Hokage?" Haruhi said.

"Why should I? It's your decision." Neji replied.

"So you won't?"

"No."

"Good, then that makes at least two who won't make me."

"Two?"

"Yeah, Naruto-kun refuses to accept the fact that someone his own age will get the title before him." Haruhi chuckled to herself, remembering the look of Naruto's sulking face as he turned and walked away from her as coolly as he could muster.

"I just have one question to ask you," Neji said as he stood up and took two steps forward, his back to Haruhi who remained seated. "Weren't you the one who said to stop running away and face everything head on?"

"Huh?" Haruhi looked lost for words as Neji turned half-way around to look back at her.

"I'll just tell you this, Haru: it's your life, live it the way you want, but don't run away when backed into a corner."

At that, Neji turned back around and walked back to the village, leaving Haruhi behind, who lowered her head to her knees in shame.

---

When Anko found Haruhi sitting by the memorial with her head resting on her knees, night had already fallen over Konoha.

_Poor kid, she must be feeling stressed out from everyone trying to push her over the edge to take the title._ Anko thought as she approached her student with caution. She opened her mouth to speak when Haruhi beat her to the punch.

"Save your breath, I already know what you're going to say; and my answer's still no." she said wearily as Anko stood behind her.

"Just hear me out, Haru-chan. I'm not going to make you do what the village elders want, because in truth, you're just too young for such a demanding job." Anko began as she sat down beside her student. "But you have a gift, Haru, people trust you even when you don't trust yourself. You have this light that just naturally draws everyone to you. Sure, sometimes that quality gets you into a lot of trouble but at least you never get discouraged.

"You're a strong kid, Haru, perhaps even stronger than the Yondaime, and the Sandaime knew this all along. Hell, you're even stronger than a lot of our jounins! That's why he left this responsibility to you, because he knew you have the strength to carry our village on your shoulders. You bring everyone hope."

"You're wrong, Sensei. I'm not strong."

"What are you saying? I've seen what you can do! I've seen you fight on long after you've been beaten! You have a strong heart, Haru! Please, don't let your doubts get the better of you."

Haruhi looked up at Anko, tears brimming her eyes as she latched onto the woman and began to cry, hard. At first Anko was stunned, but quickly got over it and hugged her student in comfort, knowing how it felt to be helpless and backed into a corner.

"Why?" Haruhi cried. "Why does everyone expect so much from me? Why won't anyone just leave me alone?! I can't be a Hokage; I'm just a genin from Konoha!"

"Haru-chan, stop running away. As young as you are, your village needs you now more than ever. Do you understand?"

Haruhi nodded her head.

* * *

**AN: Thank you all for taking the time to look for my sequeal. Hope you've enjoyed it so far. And for those of you who have not read the first story, you should or else you'll be pretty lost. The first story is titled "Rivals to Friends", and thanks again for reading. Please Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"I can't believe she caved." Kuwabara said, peeking into the Hokage's office with Naruto, Kiba, Sakura, and Ino.

"Yeah, I thought she'd never do it." said Sakura.

"I know, especially after all those times she'd slam the doors in our faces whenever we came over." said Ino.

"Haru-chan is full of surprises." Kurama said; he and everyone else stood away from the door, just in case.

"It's not that," Neji began, "She just can't stand letting people she cares about down. She did this out of her sense of guilt."

"That makes sense." said Shikamaru.

---

Haruhi sat behind the desk, wearing the Hokage robes with the sleeves rolled up so that her hands could be seen, and the hat with the kanji of fire kept falling over her eyes. The two elders were going over the basic etiquettes of a Hokage with her, but Haruhi was only half listening as she wearily eyed the many towering stacks of paper piled up on and around the desk.

She sighed, knowing it'll take her ages to do them all.

"…and furthermore, as the new Hokage you must make a public appearance and announce to the village that you are their new leader." said Koharu.

"Your inauguration ceremony will take place in a few weeks." said Homura.

"And as your first duty as our Godaime, why not get started with all of this paper work?" said Koharu.

At that Haruhi let her head drop onto the desk with a dull **thunk**, groaning over her misfortunate luck as a newfound respect for the late Hokage formed.

---

Each passing day, Haruhi spent hours and hours reading through reports, sign important documents, assign missions to shinobis who gave her an odd look and then yell at them to get their butts into gear. Attend a dull council meeting with the village elders, listen to strategic plans with the jounins about finding Orochimaru's whereabouts, take a ten minute nap, be rudely awakened by Kotetsu and Izumou who would bring in more stacks of paper work, and repeat.

By the end of the first month, almost all of the paperwork had been signed and sorted neatly into files, which Haruhi was quite pleased about (though the two elders kept an eagle eye over her, making sure she stayed on task). She even promoted Shikamaru to chuunin level and a few chuunins to the jounin level.

Only twice had Haruhi managed to sneak away, only to get caught by either Izumou or Kotetsu who have been cleaning out the Sandaime's belongings from the office. The second time, Haruhi ended up hanging outside the window while Kotetsu and Izumou were holding onto her Hokage robes, trying to pull her back in, and honestly, Haruhi was not particularly happy.

It was well past noon and Haruhi was reading through a missions report, convincing herself that it was a break from all the documents that needed to be approved of with her signature.

"Looks like you've been rather busy."

Haruhi looked over her left shoulder, not at all surprised to see Jiraiya leaning against the book shelf, his arms folded over her chest.

"You look like a child in those robes." Jiraiya said with a teasing grin as he walked over to the desk and sat down on one of the guest chairs.

"I was wondering when you'd show up, Jiraiya-baka." Haruhi said in a rather business-like manner as she returned to reading the missions report. The one month of being Hokage and already she was acting professional. "I'm giving you a mission to find somebody for me."

Jiraiya arched an eyebrow. "A mission to find someone? And who may I ask does the adorable Hokage-chan need me to find?"

Haruhi slightly twitched at the way Jiraiya addressed her, getting enough of _that_ from her family. But ignored it all the same.

"I need you to find Tsunade for me."

"WHAT?!" Jiraiya said with shock. "Do you have any idea how long it would take me to find that banshee?! I don't even know where to start!"

"If I recall Genkai baa-chan's visit from yesterday, Tsunade can be found heading towards the castle town. So get a move on and bring her here."

"Are you insane?!" Jiraiya screamed.

Haruhi slammed both her hands down on the desk as she shot up to her feet. "Listen! I'm asking you to find Tsunade because she's going to take the position as Hokage!"

"Oh, is that it?"

"Duh! Do you really think I could keep this crap up for the rest of my life? I've had a hard enough time keeping up as Spirit Detective!" Haruhi said as she sat back down. "Anyways, it's not like I can just get up and leave the village to find my own replacement. So I've already talked to the elders and they all agreed that I'd keep being Hokage until they find someone more 'suitable' for the job."

"As you wish, Hokage-chan!"

"Oh, and take Naruto with you, I've been getting a lot of complaints about him."

After Jiraiya left, Haruhi slumped over in her chair.

"I need a vacation."

The door opened to her office as Ibiki came in with a file folder in his hand and a serious look on his scarred face.

"Hokage-dono, there seems to be a problem." Ibiki began as he approached Haruhi who remained seated.

"Don't tell me it's Naruto, again?" Haruhi groaned.

"Iie, two of the guards at the west gate were found unconscious. Both claiming that two men, wearing cloaks with red cloud patterns on them, may have infiltrated the village. One of which carries a large sword."

"Infiltrated?" Haruhi repeated as Ibiki handed her the folder. She flipped it open to read the report, her brows knitting together. _Uchiha Itachi? Uchiha...why does that name sound familiar...? Oh!_

"What are your orders, Hokage-dono?"

Haruhi closed the folder and tossed it onto her desk as she leaned back in her seat with a frustrated sigh. "Inform the jounins and Anbu to keep on high alert, but that's all. It'd be pretty bad if the whole village went into a panic." Haruhi said as she stood up from her seat and walked around her desk.

"Hai." Ibiki said, leaving the room in a puff of smoke.

Haruhi sighed again as she unlatched the lock on the window and slid the glass sheet open. She breathed in the summer air as she put one foot onto the sill and her hands on the edges of the frame. She looked back at the door for a moment and then jumped out.

---

"This is a surprise, the self-important Hokage actually finding time in her busy schedule to visit us." Tenten said with a pleasant smile as she scooted over in her seat to make room for Haruhi.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm actually supposed to be at a meeting right now, but I'd probably fall asleep like last time." Haruhi said with a laugh as she took her seat across from Neji and Lee. "To be honest, I'm really hating this job as Hokage."

"You may be the Hokage but you still complain like our Haru!" Tenten said cheerily.

"Hey, Lee-kun, how're you dealing with, you know…" Haruhi glanced over at the crutches leaning against the table beside Lee.

"I'll be fine." Lee said glumly, but quickly perked up. "But that's of no importance, right now! The village is prospering thanks to you, Haru-chan—I mean, Hokage-sama!"

"Hey, Lee-kun, I just got an idea." Haruhi began, "How would you like to continue being a ninja?"

"R-really? I would like nothing more than to do that!" Lee said with excitement.

"Haru-chan, what are you saying?" Tenten asked.

"I'm saying that now that I've fully mastered the Spirit Wave technique, I can help Lee fully recover." Haruhi said.

"By blasting off his arm and leg?" Neji asked.

"The Spirit Wave is used for more than just blasting limbs off, Neji!" Haruhi said to a skeptical looking Hyuuga. "It can be used for healing, too!"

"And you know how to use it for healing?" Lee asked with much hope.

"Of course, give me your left hand and I'll show you." Haruhi said. Lee eagerly lifted his arm out of its sling and held it out, and as soon as Haruhi touched him, he felt a cool, tingling sensation serge through his entire arm. Within seconds he had full use of his arm.

"AH! It's amazing! I don't feel the pain in my arm anymore! Haru-chan, you truly are a Hokage!" Lee said with amazed excitement as he flexed his fully healed arm.

"Hey! Hey! Don't flex it like that so much! You have to let it rest for at least a day or two before you can use it to its full extent again!" Haruhi said.

"Oh, of course!" Lee said as he slung it back its sling.

"I'll heal our leg next." Haruhi said, rolling up her sleeves to her elbows.

"Thank you, Haru-chan! I promise to repay you someday!" Lee said.

"Don't bother, I'm just glad to be away from all that paperwork." Haruhi said, "Besides, both Izumou-san and Kotetsu-san suck at keeping watch over me."

"Is that so?" Haruhi froze, recognizing the voice of Kotetsu behind her. Slowly, she looked behind her with a guilty grin at him and Izumou who were looking rather irate with Haruhi's constant ditching of her duties.

"No! What I mean is…uh…Ah forget it!" Haruhi said, jumping to her feet, her over-sized robes flapping from the movement. "I'll heal your leg another time, Lee-kun. Later!" and she disappeared in a blink of an eye, her after-image fading in her wake.

"Damn it! That girl…" Kotetsu grumbled irritably as he and Izumou both vanished in a puff of smoke.

"She's Hokage again because…?" Tenten trailed off, looking at her teammates who just shrugged.

---

"I'll just hide out here for awhile until they give up looking." Haruhi said to herself, sitting comfortably on a high branch. Almost missing the conversation happening below her as Kakashi, Kurenai and Asuma stood defiantly before the two intruders.

The young man halted at the walkway near the stream. "It is quite rude to follow someone uninvited," the young man said as he turned to the trees.

Kakashi appeared, "That's called stalking, Uchiha Itachi."

"Hatake Kakashi, an unofficial Uchiha..."

The silver-haired jounin frowned. "What were you doing following the Hokage? You were here during the chuunin exams weren't you?"

"Nothing concerning you, there's nothing you have to particularly worry about," the Uchiha commented offhandedly. "But I am curious as to why the new Hokage is a child."

Kakashi's frown darkened. "Does it have something to do with the Kyuubi?"

Haruhi stayed where she was in the tree, curious to hear anything more come out from the murdering Uchiha but was disappointed and treated at the same time to see a fight begin instead.

Kakashi dodged the parry of attacks from Kisame's sword. He frowned unable to use his jutsus freely with the wretched sword in range. Glancing briefly at the sidelines, he could see the murderer of the Uchiha clan staring indifferently at the battle. Growling, he quickly dodged the last parry and quickly swept at Kisame's legs, but the shark-like man had already dodged and jumped out of his range.

"Kisame, that's enough," Itachi ordered as his Sharingan activated.

"I was beginning to have fun!" he sighed as he hauled the chakra-eating sword over his shoulder. His companion gave him no reply as he walked towards Kakashi. The silver-haired jounin quickly closed his normal eye and stood defensively as the Uchiha stopped short of him of three yards.

"What does Akatsuki want with the Hokage?" the jounin demanded an answer. "She's just a child!"

"I really don't want to fight you. You're just a mere irritant, but owning a Sharingan eye..." At the mere movement of Itachi's fingers, Kakashi quickly formed a set of hand seals and slammed them onto the ground. A wall of dirt raised around him to protect him in any attacks from the Uchiha.

_He's fast._ Kakashi thought as the wall slowly parted, allowing him to see Itachi in the same position as before with two shurikens in his hand.

"So easily excited... What a disgrace to Sharingan users," Itachi commented impassively. "But enough playing don't you agree, Hatake Kakashi?"

Suddenly, a high blast of energy sped towards Itachi, forcing the Sharingan user to leap back to avoid getting hit. Everyone looked to the side to see Haruhi within the trees, her right arm raised before her. Her Hokage robes rustling in the wake of the blast.

"It's just a brat." Kisame said.

"Hokage-dono, get away from here! These men are both S-class criminals!" Kurenai said. But Haruhi took no heed to the warning as she walked up to the two opposing parties.

"Criminals or not, they're in _my_ village." Haruhi said, her right index finger beginning to glow with a blue light as it powered up. "And _I _know nobody invited them."

Haruhi pointed her Spirit Gun at Itachi and fired again. The Sharingan user was a bit surprised but jumped out of the way in time with his partner onto the water surface.

"That brat ain't normal." Kisame said through gritted teeth, glaring up at Haruhi who lowered her arm and stared back at them both.

"A sad moment for Konoha, indeed. Relying on the strength of a _child_." Itachi said in his cool manner.

"It'll be an even sadder day when _this child_ kicks both your asses to kingdom come!" Haruhi said, vanishing and then appearing in front of Itachi with unfathomable speed. She thrust both her palms forward, hitting Itachi right into his stomach, sending the Uchiha skidding back across the water surface.

"Sugoi…!" Kurenai gasped with eyes. "She's managed to actually _hit_ Itachi."

"As expected of our little Hokage." Asuma said.

Haruhi sped towards Kisame with a kunai in her right hand. The shark-faced man only grinned, showing off his sharp teeth as he swung his halberd at the girl, only to slice through an after-image of her. After a moment, he looked up to see Haruhi balanced in a crouching position on the end of his chakra-eating sword.

"As Hiei would put it: your eyes are rather slow…too bad." and then Haruhi threw her kunai at Kisame, the sharp blade embedding itself into his shoulder. Kisame cringed at the pain as he swung his halberd to throw Haruhi off, who voluntarily back-flipped onto the surface of the water.

"Hokage-dono! Behind you!" Kakashi warned.

"Yep!" Haruhi replied as she jumped straight into the air just as Itachi took a swipe at her with a kunai. Twisting in midair, Haruhi pointed her Spirit Gun down at him and fired.

Itachi and Kisame both jumped back to the bank as the blast of energy, creating an explosion of water to rain down within the area.

"I'm beginning to see why this kid is Hokage." Kisame muttered as Haruhi landed nimbly onto the water's surface again.

"Darn, that blast would've hit if they just stayed still." Haruhi said, her cocky self already returned to the surface after a month of being buried under the professional Hokage Haruhi.

"Now is not the time for jokes, Hokage-dono." Kakashi said, as a sweat-drop appeared at the top of his head.

"C'mon, give me a break, this is the most fun I've had all month! Susumu nii-san's no fun during his training sessions." Haruhi said, putting her hands on her hips where her sleeves fell over them again. "Gah!"

"What is it?" Asuma asked, startled a bit by Haruhi's outburst.

"These stupid sleeves never stay up!" Haruhi complained as she shook her arms to shimmy the sleeves back up, while the three jounins all sweat-dropped, feeling somewhat humiliated of their "leader."

"She may be young but at least she's amusing." Kisame said.

"AH, screw it!" Haruhi yelled from across the way, as she took off the robe and threw it at Asuma. A skin-tight, black, long-sleeved shirt and a pair of baggy khaki pants was what Haruhi was wearing underneath the Hokage robe.

"Hokage-dono…" Asuma said, rather stunned.

"It's been awhile since I've had a real fight." Haruhi said as she rolled a knot out of her shoulder. "A month in that damn office and already I'm starting to lose my edge."

"Cocky kid." Kisame scuffed.

"If her skills have dulled, then the difference is unnoticeable." Itachi said, "But, on the other hand…"

Without warning, Itachi charged forward and lashed out at Haruhi who flipped backwards across the water. Crouching low, Haruhi performed a series of hand seals that Itachi didn't recognize, but put it to memory using his Sharingan.

The sky suddenly grew dark with the gathering of storm clouds and high winds. Lightening erupted across the dark storm clouds as one struck down upon Haruhi's raised right hand. The purest form of energy was then distributed out as Haruhi redirected the electrical current straight at the two S-class criminals.

"Denko-Utsu no Jutsu!" Haruhi said, as the current of pure electricity chased after the two criminals around the area. "Damn it! Stay still!"

"That technique, it was used by Haruhi's father." Kakashi said, amazed at how much control Haruhi had over the technique.

"But the Denko-Utsu is a forbidden jutsu!" said Kurenai.

_This girl has a great amount of chakra control._ Itachi thought as he dodged the opposite way than his partner, finding that the electrical stream had split to follow them both at once. _She truly does deserve the title such as Hokage, but it's obvious she's still innocent and naïve to the cruel reality of mankind._

In a flicker of an eye, Itachi was standing in front of Haruhi, looking down at the young Hokage as his Sharingan eyes began to turn. Haruhi was lost within his hypnotizing gaze, her jutsu dispelled as the sky returned to normal.

Itachi grabbed the girl by the throat, lifting her off her feet as he stared deeply into her darkening eyes.

"Hokage-dono!"

"Kurushimu desu." Itachi hissed. (It means: suffer)

"Hokage-dono!" Kakashi called, running out to Haruhi and Itachi with Asuma and Kurenai right behind him.

Haruhi felt her grip on her conscious mind slipping as she continued to stare into Itachi's spinning Sharingan eyes.

"_Suffer…"_ Itachi's voice seemed to ring through her mind.

_What the hell…? I can't look away…!_

"Haruhi!"

_Who's calling me?_

"Haruhi!"

_Kakashi-san? Kurenai-san? Asuma-san? What's happening?_

"_Suffer…"_

Haruhi's eyes then widened as she came back to reality and kicked Itachi in the chest, being released and dropping to the water's surface, coughing for air as Kurenai knelt by her side.

"Hokage-dono, are you all right." Kurenai asked.

"What the hell was that?!" Haruhi gagged as she glared at Itachi who was composing himself from Haruhi's kick in the chest.

Again Itachi sprang forward without warning to attack the leaf ninjas—his main target was the young Hokage. But the copycat-nin deflected the shurikens with a kunai and quickly pushed Haruhi back as he sidestepped and began performing a roundhouse kick. At contact, the body disperses into smoke before a slender hand caught him by the throat and forced him to his knees.

"Kage Bunshin?" The other gazed into his eye deeply and brought him to the illusionary world with the red moon.

"Kakashi-san!" Haruhi said.

In seconds, Kakashi's body stiffens as he experienced an eternity of torture. Soon after the Uchiha released him from the world of the red moon, he gave a brief shout of agony. Itachi closed his eyes as he released the jounin's neck and allowed him to slump lifelessly to the ground.

Haruhi caught the jounin, falling to her knees from the weight.

"Hey! You okay?" Haruhi asked, shaking Kakashi's unresponsive body.

"Your screams are feeble, but I'll give you your death soon enough."

Haruhi covered Kakashi's head with her body just as Itachi was about to raise his foot to crush the jounin's and the child-Hokage when, "KONOHA HURRICANE!" The green beast arrived... Unfortunately, his attack missed.

"Another imbecile," Itachi sighed.

"Are you afraid of the great Maito Gai?" The Green Beast of Konoha boasts as he stood protectively, yet comfortably in front of Kakashi and Haruhi.

"I don't have time to deal with the likes of you. Kisame," he ordered. His companion followed faithfully as he jumped over the railings and ran off atop of the water.

Gai released a breath of relief as he hauled Kakashi's defeated body over his shoulder. "Hokage-dono, are you hurt?"

"Kakashi-san, is he…?" Haruhi began as Kurenai assisted her up to her feet.

"You shouldn't worry about him, Hokage-dono. Kakashi-san will be just fine." Kurenai reassured as if Haruhi were just an ordinary child.

"We're facing some enemy, eh, Kakashi?" he murmured to his unconscious companion as he hurried back to Kakashi's apartment with Haruhi, Asuma and Kurenai right behind.

---

"How is he?" Kurenai asked as she entered the room. Asuma had arrived earlier and taken a seat near the window.

"Still the same," he replied.

"Itachi did this?" she strides towards Kakashi's bed, knelt down, and briefly brushed his hair from his eyes. "But isn't he just a child?"

"You haven't heard of the Uchiha massacre?" Gai inquired as he sat sullenly in the seat across from Asuma.

"Who hasn't?" Haruhi snorted from where she leaned against the door. "Hell, even I've heard about it."

Kurenai's eyes widened. "He was the one..." she trailed off. "But what does he want? There's nothing left in Konoha for him."

"There's still Sasuke, but I don't think he's after his little brother," Gai murmured as he glanced over at Haruhi.

"He's with this Akatsuki group you've mentioned earlier," Asuma muttered through his cigarette. "The question is probably what _they_ want, not what _he_ wants."

"Then—" Gai quickly silenced the crimson-eyed jounin as he heard footsteps neared. And with a short shriek coming from Haruhi they all looked over to the door.

"Kakashi, what's going—" Sasuke stopped when he opened the door, barely missed having the young Hokage fall on him. A frown marred his face when he looked up from the young Hokage on the floor and saw the silver-haired jounin asleep on his bed along with three other jounins around him. "I'm sure it doesn't take three people to wake him up," he commented dryly, as Haruhi stood back up, rubbing her back.

A rapid set of footsteps ran up the steps as Sasuke turned. "Is it true? Uchiha Itachi is back?" the moronic fool that ran in spouting the news froze upon seeing Sasuke.

"I-tachi?" Sasuke whispered. A twitch reached his right eye as his fists clenched and unclenched.

"You idiot," Haruhi and the three jounins muttered under their breaths.

A flash crossed Sasuke's eyes as a dark memory crossed his mind. _Get stronger foolish little brother... Or I will kill those who will become dear to you._

Gai frowned as he noticed Sasuke slowly backing away from them. "Sasuke, wait!" He was too late as the Uchiha boy dashed out of the room. He quickly turned to the others, "Keep watch on Kakashi, I'm going after him," he quickly ran out after the boy but was stopped by Haruhi who held her arm up in front of him. "Hokage-dono—"

"Let him go, he needs to deal with whatever it is that's bothering him." Haruhi said, back in her Hokage-mode.

"But if someone doesn't stop him—"

"Ibiki told me all I needed to know, hell, even Genkai baa-chan told me a little about him. Just stay here and keep an eye over Kakashi-san's condition." Haruhi said, as she turned to leave the apartment.

"And what do you plan to do?" Kurenai asked.

"Nothing at all. Just let him be stupid on his own." Haruhi said, and left the apartment.

"Kid might be young but she's thinking like a Hokage." Asuma said.

"But her approach is unorthodox." Kurenai said.

---

"Itachi," Sasuke growled at the elder Uchiha as Naruto looked at him with confusion.

"My foolish little brother... Have you gotten any stronger since the last time we've met?"

"You killed our clan! How could you?" Sasuke roared; his Sharingan flickered onto his eyes.

"Hn," Itachi hummed with disinterest. "Still a child, I see."

"So are we taking the Kyuubi vessel by force?" Kisame asked with amusement.

"I'm not letting you get away, Itachi!" Sasuke snapped, his chakra surged as electricity gathered in his hands. The chidori crackling in his palm.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted as the boy launched forward.

As Sasuke threw his chidori, he recoiled from the release, leaving him open to a frontal attack. Sasuke was almost bewildered that his brother could easily knock his chidori aside with such ease.

"Something wrong?" Kisame grinned.

Itachi's eyes danced with amusement as he snapped his wrist and sent a few shurikens at Sasuke. And before Sasuke knew it, he was kicked by his brother and sent slamming into the wall at the end of the hallway.

Standing up, Sasuke was unprepared for the on-coming assault from his brother, as was beaten mercilessly. He keeled over after being punched in the stomach and then slammed forcedly into the wall again with Itachi's hand gripped tightly around his throat.

Itachi leaned in close, his lips at Sasuke's ear as he whispered, "Why are you so weak?" Pulling back, he stared deeply into Sasuke's eyes, his Sharingan spinning, plunging Sasuke into a world with the red moon.

"Hey! Why don't you fight someone more at your level?" Itachi looked slowly to his right to see the young Hokage standing before him. "I don't know what the reason for your return is, but I will not stand for this!"

"And what would you—no, let me correct myself, _can_ you do?" he mocked, his eyes bore into hers as the wheels of his Sharingan turned.

"Funny you should ask." Haruhi said with a smirk, raising her right arm and firing her Spirit Gun at the older Uchiha.

Itachi released his brother as he jumped back, returning to his partner's side as Naruto ran over to Sasuke as the younger Uchiha slumped to the ground like Kakashi had. Haruhi ran after Itachi, her fist raised to begin an onslaught of punches that Itachi was able to keep up with thanks to his blood limit.

_She has a lot more chakra than I thought._ Itachi noted, eyeing the young Hokage.

Kisame lowered his halberd, getting ready to use it to cut through the child Hokage as she came closer with her rapid punches to the Uchiha; however, the window exploded and a thick tongue assaulted him. He dodged, raising his halberd as a defense while Itachi and Haruhi ceased their fight to avoid the debris.

Jiraiya arrived through the opening with a woman on his shoulder. Noticing the situation, Naruto, Sasuke, and to his luck the young Hokage, he cursed under his breath before turning to Itachi. "Uchiha Itachi!" he growled dangerously as he dropped the woman unceremoniously in the hall.

The Uchiha stood impassively, unresponsive towards the other's anger. "Seems like we took too long, Kisame. He's gotten the woman out of the genjutsu already," he murmured in disinterest.

"Escape?" Kisame suggested.

"Not likely," Jiraiya's eyes flared dangerously with anger. His hands disappear in a blur as he performs a set of hand seals and slams his hands into the ground. The wooden floor cracks at his assault as a fleshy substance grew and materialize from the hotel's walls and floors.

"I'll kill him!" Naruto roared as he was about to move.

"Cool your head, blondie." Haruhi said, as she held up her arm to stop Naruto. The blonde froze, unconsciously responding to Haruhi's order through the month of responding to calling her Hokage; however, he was still fighting the temptation to murder the older Uchiha.

Itachi stared at the fleshy walls before he noticed his sandals dissolving. Kisame was about to swing his sword about in an attempt to slice the fleshy wall away, but Itachi caught onto his arm and halted him. "We'll continue this another time. Retreat for now." Hesitantly nodding, he followed Itachi's lead and ran away from the room and soon an explosion occurred, notifying the room occupants that the two have escaped.

Jiraiya quickly released the summoning jutsu and ran after them. "Watch over Sasuke!" Naruto turned to run after Jiraiya.

"What do I look like, a daycare?" Haruhi huffed as she ran after the two.

There was no way Naruto was going to let Itachi off after that last stunt. When he found the Toad Sage at the burning opening, he paused. "Ero-sennin."

"Return to Sasuke," the man said as he kneeled down with a scroll opened to the ground.

"But—"

"You're no use now! Just go back to your teammate, I'll be there in a moment," he said. Naruto reluctantly ran back to the room just as Haruhi entered the scene.

"Care to explain why they are after Naruto?"

"You recall hearing about the Kyuubi, correct?" Haruhi nodded her head. "Naruto is the vessel that harbors the demon fox. And I'm not sure why, but that is one of the reasons why Akatsuki is after him."

Haruhi suddenly felt a sudden rush of blood leaving her head and began swaying on her feet. Jiraiya turned around in time to unexpectedly catch her.

"I think I've used up too much chakra." Haruhi said before passing out.

* * *

**AN: Yeah, yeah, I know I mentioned that there is going to be a Bleach element in this story, but be patient. I need to get through this part where Akatsuki is mentioned, and Tsunade comes in, and then Sasuke running off to get more power from Orochimaru, and then there's that time skip. Within the time skip is where Bleach will come in, and boy will you be surprised.**

**Also, I won't be putting in the Sensui Arc, or the Demon Tournament, but the later will be mentioned suring the time skip. It may not make sense now, but you'll see. It'll work out.**

**By they way...WHERE THE HELL ARE MY REVIEWS?! I won't post up the third chapter until I have at least five reviews to boost my ego.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Damn it! I said I'm all right!" Haruhi yelled as she fought with the medics who were trying their hardest to keep her in bed within the hospital.

"But Hokage-dono, you should rest until—" one of the medics huffed but was cut off by Haruhi's cursing.

"Damn it! How many times do I have to say it?! I'm all right!" Haruhi said, as she struggled towards the door of her room with three medics trying as hard as they could to pull her back. "Almost…there…" she said, her hand outstretched towards the door handle when the door opened.

"Hey, Urameshi, Kurama and I came to—" Kuwabara stopped mid-sentence at the sight of three medics trying to stop Haruhi from leaving, their attempts failing as the girl was right in front of the door.

"Haru-chan, why aren't you in bed?" Kurama asked with a frown on his lips.

"That's what we've been trying to tell her, but she just won't listen!" said a medic.

"Hokage-dono, please…you're in no condition to be walking around after your battle with two S-class criminals." said a medic, his face sweaty from trying to pull Haruhi back.

"But I'm not even hurt!" Haruhi shouted back at the three medics, clinging onto her as they continued to pull. "If anything, you guys should be checking in on _him_!" Haruhi said, pointing to the bed across the room where Sasuke laid unconscious.

"But, Hokage-dono…"

"Also, LET GO OF ME!"

After a minute or two of medics scrambling about in the room, Haruhi was sitting up in her hospital bed, conversing with her two teammates.

"So the mission went well, huh?" Haruhi asked.

"As Koenma predicted, many tears between dimensions have been appearing and then disappearing around Kumo country." Kurama said.

"And to top that, it wasn't even demon energy. It was some kind of strange energy that neither Kurama nor I have felt. It literally made me sick after sensing it the first time." Kuwabara said.

"But…I thought Koenma said these tears were related to Makai?" Haruhi speculated.

"Apparently not, but rifts such as these serve as tunnels between the worlds, which explains the strange creatures that have been coming through. But these tears are rare and only last for a short amount of time." Kurama said.

"Weird." Haruhi muttered.

"It's nothing to be worried about, really, nothing came out this time." Kurama reassured.

"So, Urameshi, how'd you land in the hospital? Too many employee parties?" Kuwabara teased, earning a smack over the head by Haruhi.

"Nothing like that, baka!" Haruhi yelled, "I just had a run in with a pair of S-class criminals and used up too much Reiki, is all!"

"You what?!" Kuwabara said in surprise.

"I just hope Jiraiya-baka and Naruto find her soon." Haruhi said, looking straight across the room to the other bed where Sasuke laid unconscious.

"Where are you going, Urameshi?" Kuwabara asked, seeing that Haruhi had gotten up and was heading towards the door.

"Oh, just out to stretch my legs." Haruhi said casually over her shoulder, reaching the door at last.

"She's making a run for it." Kurama said, standing up with Kuwabara.

_Just a little further and I'm outta here!_ Haruhi thought, reaching for the door knob when suddenly…

"Omph!"

…Kuwabara and Kurama tackled her to the ground and hauled her back into bed, kicking and screaming.

Unfortunately for them, that was a bad move because the next day…

---

"Man, now I know she's just abusing her power." Kuwabara scuffed as he and Kurama stood by the gate.

"Well, she is the Hokage now, so essentially she's doing her job by assigning us to do these things." Kurama said, though he too was in dismay.

"But watching the gate for a week?! That's just not right!" Kuwabara wailed. "DARN YOU, URAMESHI!"

---

"Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!"

"Are you catching a cold, Hokage-dono?" asked Izumou as he took another stack of finished documents into his arms. "Would you like me to close the window?"

"Nah! I'm fine!" Haruhi said, rubbing her nose, "You know the old saying when you sneeze three times, right? I guess not everybody likes me being Hokage."

_Heh, heh! You two brought this upon yourself, now suffer!_ Haruhi thought darkly as she smirked while reading a missions report.

---

Asuma walked through the gates with his students. He glanced over at his side, seeing Haruhi's two teammates looking rather defeated just standing by the gate.

"Guard duty, huh?" he asked.

"Yeah…" they both replied glumly.

---

"Shouldn't you be in a meeting with the Kirikage today?" Neji asked calmly through his meditation, while Haruhi was sitting behind him, her back leaning against his.

"Yeah, but that's not until this afternoon." Haruhi yawned as she stretched her arms out in front of her.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" Neji asked, seeing with his Byakugan that Haruhi was beginning to doze off due to the warm weather their village had been getting.

"They'll be fine without me."

"That's not very Hokage-like, Haru."

"Like I care." Haruhi snorted, smirking to herself as if indulging on a secret joke. "I'll be seeing you around, Neji."

"Going to your meeting with the Kirikage?"

"Sure, let's go with that."

---

Elsewhere in a secret room…

"Five, six, four! Odd!" announced the dice man.

"I won, again?" wondered a blond woman.

"Yatta! Tsunade-sama! You've won again!" a younger woman cheered as she gathered the large amount of winnings. "God of luck has been on your side hasn't it, Tsunade-sama?"

The woman named Tsunade frowned as she stood up and walked away. "Let's go Shizune."

"Eh? Tsunade-sama!" the young woman Shizune quickly packed away the last of the winnings and chased after Tsunade with a pig in her arms.

_That's the twentieth win today,_ frowned the blond woman as she crossed her arms in her walk. _Something isn't right here._

"Tsunade-sama, why did you leave? You won over 50,000 ryos!" complained Shizune as she caught up to her side.

"Don't feel like playing today, lets go onto the next city," murmured the concerned woman as she hurried towards the town's north entrance.

Shizune halted briefly in surprise. "Tsunade-sama... Are you feeling well today?"

"It's nothing just—" the blond haired woman quickly turned at a new presence. "Come out, I know you're there!"

"Ku, ku, ku, it's been a while Tsunade," chuckled a dark voice.

Tsunade's brown eyes narrowed in suspicion at the appearance of her old teammate and a strange young man at his side. "Orochimaru?"

"It's very fortunate of me to find you this easily," chuckle the pale skinned sannin. "I thought I would have to hunt down Genkai before finding you."

The woman frowned. "Genkai-sensei? What's so important that you need her to find me?" Shizune stood at her side cautiously as she stared at the pair.

"I need you to heal these arms," Orochimaru attempted to lift his arms.

"What happened to them?" Tsunade and Shizune's minds were racing through possibilities in damaging an arm to this extent and quickly drew conclusions before the other had even answered. Neither liked their conclusions much.

"Sarutobi happened to them as I was invading Konoha," said the man almost cheerily.

"Cut to the chase, you want me to heal your pathetic sorry ass," she tossed her hair over her shoulder with one hand at her hip. With her feet firmly planted apart on the ground she leaned forward with a scowl. "And what makes you think I would give a fuck that I will heal you?"

"I can bring back the loved ones you lost," coaxed Orochimaru as he watched the woman stiff with her eyes widening.

"Tsunade-sama..." Shizune turned to the woman with a discomforted face.

"I created a new jutsu that can bring the dead back to life." Tsunade remained silent as she slowly stood back into composure. Orochimaru smirked as he saw his words take an effect.

Shizune looked between the two before biting her lower lip. "And what will you do if Tsunade-sama heals your arm?"

"Why, destroy Konoha of course!" smirked the man.

"Forget it! Tsunade-sama will do no such thing!" protested the ebony haired woman.

Orochimaru could only continue to laugh. "Even if you refuse, Tsunade, my offer still stands." And he and Kabuto were gone.

As they left, Shizune looked at her worriedly. "Not even one concern for Konoha, Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade closed her eyes and turned away. "Never again, let's go Shizune." Her over shirt billowed behind her as she walked.

"Ton-ton... I'm worried," muttered the younger woman.

"Phuei," answered the pig with her eyes squinted.

---

Haruhi sat at the head of the table, the Kirikage at her right while her two personal consults were on her left. Her attention was wavering between reality to her last conversation with Jiraiya before he and Naruto left in search of Tsunade.

_**Flashback**_

"_What is Hueco Mundo?" growled Haruhi, slamming her hand down on her desk inside her office. _

"_From what I've gathered, it's a separate dimension where lost souls reside," replied Jiraiya._

"_That tells me nothing!"_

_Jiraiya gave a sigh, "You know about Reikai and Makai, right?" asked the man._

_Haruhi seemed baffled as she answered. "Of course I have." A pause. "You're saying these tears between dimensions have something to do with this Hueco Mundo?"_

"_You're on the right track," commented Jiraiya. "But not exactly. Apparently these tears are caused by other-worldly beings."_

"_Hold on, are you suggesting that someone from Reikai or Makai are creating these random tears?" a dark chuckle from Jiraiya reached Haruhi's ears._

"_The last I checked." _

"_Why did it stop recently?" asked Haruhi. _

_Jiraiya's voice dropped grimly. "I'm sure you're aware of a place called Seireitei." He saw Haruhi's confused expression. "The shinigami all have a way to commute between plains. It could be possible that they're the ones causing the unbalanced flow of chakra within Ningenkai."_

"_Hmm," Haruhi was now in deep thought. "I wouldn't know, I've never heard of a shinigami except in old folk tales."_

"_You're a smart girl, Hokage-dono; even if you don't get enough credit for it."_

_A pause_

"_Hollows," came the conclusion. "I've never seen a Hollow, so I wouldn't know how to approach this. But I gotta ask: can these things come through the barriers freely?"_

"_Possibly. As powerful as you are, no human holds a candle to you…You're still young, Haruhi-chan, and you're still learning more about your powers. But since you lack the knowledge of Hollows and shinigamis, along with Seireitei, you'll be marching in blind." reasoned Jiraiya. _

"_Even if everything you said is true, how are you so sure that Hollows are behind the tears?" snapped Haruhi._

"_You have no reason to worry; Genkai-sensei is very accurate and careful when she's given any form of a mission. She also knows more about the structure of Reikai and the relations it has with Seireitei. All we have to do now is wait and see."_

_Haruhi gave a heavy sigh as she leaned back in her chair. "This will be the longest wait I'll ever have to sit through..." _

_Silence..._

"_If you want more information, Genkai-sensei is the person to ask. She has an extended knowledge of Reikai and Makai," chuckled the man. "But to tell you the truth... If Genkai-sensei didn't warn me beforehand that Orochimaru was going to attack Konoha, the situation would have been much worse."_

"_She knew about that too huh..." another rustle of clothing; indicating that Haruhi had shifted in her seat._

"_Don't stray too far from your duties, especially when Konoha is in need of your strength now more than ever. You don't know who might be lingering around and if you'll run into someone like Itachi again… You were fortunate that you were at full strength."_

"_I'll be careful," murmured Haruhi. _

_Jiraiya gave a sigh. "You can stop pretending to be fearless. I know you have doubts, Haru-chan."_

_Haruhi turned her head to the side, sighing heavily as Jiraiya hit the nail on the head._

"_Before you say anything, I want to make one thing clear: Don't you dare have second thoughts about every decision that you make. To doubt yourself, you're doubting your village."_

"_I..." she became silent, smiling softly to the Toad Sage. "Thank you."_

_**End of Flashback**_

---****

_I wonder if Jiraiya has found Tsunade yet._ Haruhi wondered, completely zoning out what was being discussed in the meeting about an alliance that she could care less about at the moment.

"Hokage-dono…_Hokage-dono!_"

"What, damn it?!" Haruhi snapped, slapping her hand down on the polished wooden table.

Everyone in the room was now staring at her, and Haruhi then realized what she had said. Her face turned red.

"Becoming the youngest Kage in history, and she still makes obscene remarks like any other child." the Kirikage said with good humor.

"Hey, at least _this_ _child_ can still beat you in a marathon, you old geezer!" Haruhi said boldly, as everyone in the room gasped.

Silence engulfed the room.

The Kirikage narrowed his eyes at Haruhi before he broke down into a whole hearted laugh. Everyone began to join in the laughter, except Haruhi who flew across the table and grabbed hold of the Kirikage's robes.

"Hey! What the hell is so funny?!" she demanded, shaking the Kirikage who merely continued to laugh.

---

**At Genkai's Temple**

Genkai gave a sigh as she finished her cup of tea.

"That boy just doesn't know when to quit," she grumbled as she gulped down her tea. "Kid's starting to drive me up the wall more than that dimwit Haru."

"GENKAI-BABA!" screamed Naruto's voice in a distance.

She gave a sigh of irritation. "Now what does the brat want?"

"GENKAI-BABA!" Naruto's voice screamed directly in front of her, nearly choking her with the shock of him being so close, so quickly.

She hammered her chest trying to clear her lungs after the hot liquid went down the wrong tube. Once she was sure she wasn't going to choke, she grabbed Naruto, wringing him by the neck. "You almost choked me to death, you dimwit!"

"Ack—" Naruto gagged, grasping onto her hands, trying to pry her fingers off.

_**Grumble, grumble**_

Genkai's hands dropped limply from Naruto's neck as he dropped to the ground coughing.

The blonde sat up in surprise as the woman continued grumbling. He rubbed the side of his neck as he glanced up at the old woman.

"Well? Don't just sit there on the floor! If you have something to talk about, take a seat!" snapped the woman.

Naruto finally took a seat, but was uncertain where to start anymore.

"I doubt you're here to talk about me training you like I did with Haru. I'm not a very patient old lady, now just get over the usual formalities slash uncomfortable stuttering and shy talk."

"I'm not shy and I don't stutter!" snapped the blonde irritably.

Genkai shrugged. "I don't care; just get to the point, dimwit."

"I want to know where Tsunade is," stated the boy.

"And what do you expect me to do?" drawled the old woman as she rests her head on her hand.

"You're a psychic aren't you? Can't you tell where she is?" snapped Naruto.

Genkai gave a sigh. "No can do brat."

"What do you mean you can't help us find Tsunade?" Naruto shouted irritably. "What kind of psychic are you?"

"One million ryo," the response threw Naruto off.

"Huh?"

Genkai smirked into her cup of tea. "Pay me a million ryo and I'll tell you where Tsunade is…"

"But I don't have that sort of money!" Naruto argued.

"Hmm…" the old woman hummed. "Or you can try forcing me to tell you..." a smirk, "That is if you can beat me."

"Defeat you?" snorted Naruto. "You're not even at your best!"

Genkai laughed merrily. "Are you afraid?"

Naruto was insulted. "Afraid? You're on old hag! I can take you! Me and you, outside, now!"

The old woman only raised an eyebrow. "Who said anything about a fight?"

"Huh?" Naruto tilted his head aside in confusion.

A cheeky smirk spread across Genkai's aged face as she held out a fist. "We're going to have a janken contest. Two out of three to win, five hundred ryos per game."

"What?" Naruto was further confused.

The old woman gave a sigh. "It's called a gamble. Besides, you don't think I would fight now, will you? Especially since Haru has my Spirit Wave Orb now. A game of janken is so much more fun, and easier, too."

Naruto shook his head in disbelief. "Janken? Are you serious?"

The old woman grinned. "If you think you can beat me, then try boy. I bet even with your whole life savings, you can't beat me."

"So what are you betting?" glared Naruto as he wasn't exactly willing to part with his happy fat frog moneybag.

"Why, I'll help you find that worthless Tsunade of course! You think it's cheap to hire me? You should be happy I'll let you do something as easy as janken! Well, are you taking up the challenge or not?"

"Fine!" grumbled Naruto as he fished out five hundred ryos and slapped it down on the table.

And so... a ferocious battle of janken started between the two epic fighters... If you can call it that.

Genkai mentally snickered. _Fool, he doesn't even realize how easy it is to cheat in this game. I'll have him poorer then a bum in minutes._

_---_

Elsewhere, Tsunade was seated in front of a slot machine glaring at it with a twitching eye. Shizune laughed sheepishly as if trying to calm the other woman's tempter. It was then she noticed a blue penguin flying up to them and perching itself on Shizune's shoulder. In its mouth was a tattered envelope.

She tapped on the master of medics' shoulder. "Tsunade-sama, I think you have a letter."

"Hmm?" the woman responded irritably before looking up at the penguin. She picked it up with a hand and attempted to take the envelope, but the stubborn thing would let go. She glared with a faint twitch of her left eye as she saw a small note tied around its foot. "One thousand ryos for the letter!" she growled. "Must be Genkai-sensei," grumbled the woman.

_Of course, that old bat doesn't have dumb pets like these…What's her angle?_ Tsunade wondered. _It looks familiar..._

"Puu!" the blue creature chirped.

Shizune looked at the blue penguin and then back to Tsunade. "Are you going to pay for it?"

The Legendary Sucker sighed as she pulled out one thousand ryos and inserted it into the little pouch hanging around its neck-less body. The little creature chirped before dropping the letter on her lap and wriggled out of her grip and flew off. Tsunade ripped off the last of the envelope and in it was a single greeting card. Opening the card she muttered through the contents before staring at the last line. "What the hell?"

Shizune stared at mentor curiously. "What's the matter?"

The woman threw her the card. "Read it yourself," she muttered going back to her gambling.

Wondering what confused her mentor she caught the card and looked into the contents. Most of it was nonsense, but it was the last line that caught her attention. "Seven days? What's that supposed to mean?"

---

Back at the temple, Naruto banged his head helplessly against the table as he lost his Gama-chan wallet. "HOW IS IT POSSIBLE? You're just an old hag!" he jumped up and pointed an accusing finger at Genkai. "You must have cheated!"

Genkai snorted as she tossed the overstuff wallet in her hand. "It's called talent, dimwit."

"You cheated! You used your powers to see into the future didn't you?" snapped Naruto.

He swore she rolled her eyes at that point. "My psychic powers aren't that intuitive all the time, not like Kuwabara's. Didn't that idiot teacher of yours tell you anything about heightening your sixth sense?"

Naruto paused. "My sixth sense?"

She sighed loudly. "You're hopeless. Look, like Haruhi, I too can channel my chakra and Spirit Energy into any point of my body, making it visible to the naked eye. But unlike Haru, who is still learning, I am a master! I didn't become this powerful just from rituals and sight-seeing."

"But how can it be visible? I thought chakra was invisible!" retorted Naruto.

Genkai raised an eyebrow. "Is it now?" She waved it off. "Sheesh, then you weren't paying attention. The generation these days are pathetic, compared to what you kids can really do with those powers. You're going about this all wrong. Of course, you're still malleable."

Naruto glared at her suspiciously. "And how can you tell? You're old and bitter; you can't just tell our strengths just by looking at us."

"Baka," she smacked him over the head again; not because of his ignorance, just the matter that she found it fun hitting people and calling them an idiot. "You don't have to use your eyes two see. How did you think I've survived all these years without assessing how strong my opponents were?"

Naruto rubbed his head out of irritation. "Then how?"

"Dimwit, my sixth sense is much stronger than yours, and I have years of experience to back me up." grounded the woman.

The blonde tilted his head aside. "How did you use it?"

Genkai snorted again. "I'll be damned if I told you. I don't teach people for free (though Haru was an exception). You'll have to find out yourself. Until then, you can challenge me over and over all you want and you still won't win."

"I don't even have the money to challenge you!" Naruto retorted.

"Well, that's too bad isn't it?" smirked the woman as she stood. She tossed the wallet playfully in her hand before raising a finger. "Can you see what is here?"

"What?" his eyes narrowed and stared at the empty space above her finger, but he saw nothing. Instead, he felt something emitting from there, but by then, she curled up her finger and the feeling dissipated.

"Too slow, I'm going to be here for only a few more days until I leave for Konoha again. So if you can't beat me by then, I'm not going to even bother."

"Damn it!" growled Naruto as he watched Genkai leave.

* * *

**AN: Thanks for the reviews, sorry I had to act all violent about it but I needed things to start rolling. Please Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"We're here." Genkai said blandly as she stopped in front of a casino.

"What are we doing here? I thought you said we're getting Tsunade, not more money for yourself," grumbled Naruto.

"I don't gamble; you were just a slight exception. Gambling would've wasted too much of my talent and energy. Tsunade is here!" she snapped.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "She's a gambler?"

Genkai sighed, "One of the worst. You should have seen her lose in the game Go-fish."

**DING, DING, DING!**

"YATTA! Tsunade-sama won again!" cheered a woman.

A sardonic grin crossed the blonde's face. "Worst huh?"

"Strange, must be a bad sign." Genkai muttered as she walked into the casino.

"Whatever you say Genkai-baba," sighed Naruto as he followed.

It wasn't long before they found the supposedly Legendary Sucker. Tsunade's face kept a constant frown each time she won. Shizune at her side was excited with each win until she saw Genkai and Naruto. "T-T-Tsunade-sama!"

"What is it, Shizune?" drawled the woman dully.

"Yo," Genkai waved with a dry look. "Long time no see, Tsunade."

Tsunade sighed and turned to the duo with a frown. "Funny, I didn't expect to see you until the seven days are up."

"Seven days?" Genkai pondered for a moment. "Doesn't ring a bell. Of course, I haven't talked to you since the last time you dropped by my temple."

"And your little note?" Tsunade inquired dryly.

"What note?" Genkai asked.

"The note that that little blue flying penguin gave me after I gave it 500 ryos!" Tsunade said irritably.

"Flying blue penguin?" Naruto wondered, when suddenly it clicked and he opened his mouth to recall when Genkai silenced him with a look.

"What do you want Genkai-sensei? I know you didn't just come for a visit. Where's your successor, Urameshi Haruhi, was it?"

"She's in Konoha, keeping the order and peace for as long as she can." Genkai replied simply.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "What does this have anything to do with me?"

"Everything." replied Genkai.

Tsunade scowled at the woman before turning to Naruto; the boy looked straight at her. "Ero-sennin never told me why we're looking for you." His eyes narrowed. "But I can probably guess." Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "He was told by Haruhi nee-chan to find someone to take up the position of Hokage because she doesn't want the job." He glanced over to Genkai. "Genkai-baba refused. So, that's probably one of the reasons why he's looking for you, but he was looking for you even before we found the old hag."

"Genkai-sensei," Tsunade turned to the grinning woman. "How long will it be when Jiraiya gets here?"

"100,000 ryos," answered the woman.

The sannin sighed. "Shizune..." her assistant reluctantly handed a sack of the winnings to Genkai.

"Somewhere around tonight and tomorrow morning," the woman heaved the bag and weighed it with her inner weighing system. "Don't worry, that note you received was probably from Haru herself, she is the Godaime now. She was probably wondering where you were."

"Really?! Little Haruhi is the Godaime?!" Shizune said, astounded. "But she's like, what—_fourteen_?!"

Tsunade's eyes widened and her mouth barely agape. _Godaime? Sarutobi-sensei had that much confidence in the whelp? _"Shizune, we're leaving," Tsunade stood and moved to walk out of the casino.

"What?" Shizune was startled, but she quickly followed. "Wait for me, Tsunade-sama!"

"Hn?" Tsunade frowned when Naruto stepped in front of her. "What do you want, gaki?"

Blue eyes glared back at her determinedly. "I can't let you leave." Tsunade snorted, but he interrupted before she started. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not doing this for the Ero-sennin, or for the Hokage, I'm doing it for my sensei and my friend who were both attacked by Uchiha Itachi."

"Move out of my way, gaki. I have no interest in helping Konoha and when you see Jiraiya, tell him I have no interest in helping Orochimaru either. No doubt that's why he came to see me." Naruto remained rooted to the ground. "Listen gaki—"

"No, you listen!" snapped Naruto. "My sensei and teammate are both in a coma! I will not let you go until you help me heal them! Ero-sennin said you were the best when it came to healing! Even Haruhi nee-chan said so!"

Tsunade's eye twitched before she placed a foot over a chair challengingly, resting her arm on her knee while holding a fist up. "You want a fight boy?"

"Only if it will keep you here!" he growled.

"I won't help you, even _if_ you can keep me here," responded Tsunade smugly.

"Are you scared?" Naruto taunted.

An irritated twitch of an eyebrow notified Shizune, this was not going to be pretty. _This boy has a death wish..._

"Scared? Me?" Tsunade grabbed Naruto by the collar and hauled him out of the casino. "You want to make a bet with that attitude of yours?"

"If I win, you have to come back to Konoha with us and heal Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke." He slapped her hand away from his shirt and landed on the ground.

The woman snorted. "As if you can even make me use even more then three fingers."

Naruto grinned. "Is that a compliment, Tsunade baa-chan? Ero-sennin said even one finger from you is hazardous."

"Don't mock me kid." a gold chain dangled from her fingers as a grin played across her lips. "But then again, I have leverage. This little trinket is quite important to you isn't it?" Naruto froze. "Hidden under the layers of that hideous orange outfit and even protectively covered with a scarf. Quite an interesting design, won't you say?"

The pendent gleamed in the sunlight.

---

**Flashback**

**---**

"_Here."_

_Naruto stared down at the golden chain and the unique design of the pendant that Haruhi was holding up from where she sat up in her hospital bed._

"_What, are you giving it to me?" Naruto asked._

"_Yeah, dummy, of course. But I expect it back. It was given to me by a demon king awhile back; he said it brings luck to the wearer, so I want you to wear this when you're out looking for Tsunade." Haruhi said, as Naruto took the golden chain delicately and clasping it around his neck._

"_Thanks."_

"_By the way, when you do find Tsunade, you have to make a bet with her, or else no dice."_

"_Dice?"_

"_It's street talk for 'no deal'. Don't let your guard down either; I hear Orochimaru is out looking for her, too."_

_Naruto saw the sad, tired, desperate look in Haruhi's eyes, and going on with his instincts, he bent down and hugged the young Hokage._

"_You know what? Next to old man Hokage, you're always looking out for everyone's wellbeing…Thank you, Haruhi nee-chan."_

_He felt Haruhi hug him back, her shoulders shaking as she silently began to cry into his jacket. But he didn't mind, he knew how stressed out she is._

"_Thank you, Naruto." _

_---_

**End Flashback **

**---**

Naruto clenched his fists at his sides. "Give that back."

A morbid grin stretched across Tsunade's face. "If you lose, I'll take this little trinket and pawn it for gambling funds."

Naruto saw red. "Give it back!" he roared as he darted forward with a sloppy punch. The sannin dodged with ease as she stored the pendent in her breast-space.

"And the match begins." Genkai drawled out dully.

"Give it back!" Naruto roared as he swept a leg under Tsunade.

The woman jumped, placing two fingers atop his head before flipping over and landed behind him. With the same two fingers she swiftly snapped it down at the back of Naruto's neck. The boy flew three meters before coming to a tumbling crash across the street. Vendors and patrons watched in horror and fascination at the brief conflict. The sannin grinned smugly at the still form of Naruto, but frowned when he started coughing and crawling to his knees. His hand rubbed irritably at the spot where Tsunade attacked him.

The woman frowned. _That should've knocked him unconscious. The only other person I know who can withstand something like that is Haru, but she's a master at chakra control. Maybe the Kyuubi made his nerves stronger... 50 pounds this time._

Without waiting, Tsunade strolled up to the boy with two curled fingers and caught Naruto by the chin in an uppercut. She then slashed down at his neck again, forming a crater on the ground as he landed. However, he didn't stay down as he swung his legs and jumped up again. This time, it didn't even seem like he was injured.

_What is he made of?_

"Give me back Haruhi nee-chan's pendent!" Naruto launched himself at her again.

Tsunade danced out of his reach as he opened his palms and thrust forward. "Ah, so this was given to you by Haru-chan, eh?" Tsunade provoked.

Using his momentum, he flipped himself onto hands and proceeded with a series of rapid kicks at the sannin while he used his hands to propel him towards her. The woman shifted her weight left to right and right to left backwards as she dodged each kick, she caught the heel of his foot with three fingers. With a forceful yank she spun Naruto into the air. The boy twisted his body to right himself before curling into a fetal position and somersaulted to the ground.

His feet barely touched the ground before he propelled himself again and delivered a roundhouse kick to Tsunade. The woman caught him from the underside of his knee and pressured her thumb at the crevice of the joint. Naruto twisted his body quickly and plunged his hand in between her chest. The woman's eyes widened at his bold action and drop-kicked him. He landed at the feet of Genkai, and in his hand grasped a pendent. Shizune's eyes widened.

"Perverted little brat," growled Tsunade with a faint blush over her face as she crossed her arms over her chest. No one, since Jiraiya, had dared to pull that move on her.

"Damn it," grumbled Naruto as he crawled to his feet. He looked down at his hand and noticed it wasn't Haruhi's pendant he grabbed. "Damn it, why did I grab this piece of crap?"

"CRAP?" Shizune shrieked. "That pendent is the heirloom from the first hokage! Give that back to Tsunade-sama before it curses you!"

Naruto glanced at the pendent before looping the necklace over his head. "Fat chance. She gives back Haruhi nee-chan's pendent then I'll give her, her grandfather's pendent." He stuffed the pendent in his shirt before he pushed himself from the ground.

"Genkai-sama! Do something!" Shizune panicked, but the woman only continued to stand and watch from the sides.

"Don't worry, they're just using pure taijutsu, I sense neither of them preparing for any ninjutsu or genjutsu. Nothing too lasting would come out of it..." she paused for a thought. "Then again Tsunade always did have that brute strength of hers..."

"Genkai-sama!" protested Shizune.

Naruto slipped into a different stance; leaning heavily on his other leg. The leg Tsunade placed pressure on gave way. Instead of having his palms out, he curled up his fists and held them loosely in front of him. It seemed awfully sloppy compared to the style Haruhi used in the Dark Tournament; his feet had no firm grasp on the ground.

Tsunade frown, but watched cautiously as Naruto stumble forward, favoring his left foot, in an attack. She toyed with the thought of knocking his head a few more times, but it quickly disappeared when one of his punches missed and landed only inches from her feet, ripping the ground from below her. She quickly jumped before the ground swallowed her. Their captivated audience screamed as the crack branched off and reached elsewhere. Within seconds, the streets were empty with the exception of Genkai and Shizune as the remaining audience.

Naruto breathed heavily, drips of sweat slipped from his chin. _Shit, I shouldn't have done that. What made me think this was finished? She would've beaten me to a pulp by now if it weren't for the Kyuubi._ He glanced briefly at his shaking hands and clasped them together tightly. The rush of chakra to his hands were slowly receding.

Tsunade noticed his moment of weakness and quickly darted forward. She aimed for his protector. Naruto noticed in the last second before thrusting his hands at her in an attempt to lessen the blow. He caught her by the stomach while her finger tips smashed into his forehead protector. Naruto immediately went airborne once again, while Tsunade dropped to a knee with the air knocked out of her.

"He managed to hit her," gapped Shizune.

Genkai paused. "Shizune-chan, time to move."

"Huh? Why?"

The old woman grabbed her hand and yanked her away as a snake emerged from the ground, it burrowed back to the ground shortly afterwards. "That's why," she said before spinning around. "Tsunade, Naruto! Match postponed! We have a guest!" she announced to the two. "It's been awhile, eh, Orochimaru?"

"Genkai-sensei," growled the pale skinned sannin as he revealed his presence atop the casino roof with Kabuto at his side. "Fraternizing with the enemy? I thought you kept with your solitude."

Genkai raised a finger patronizingly. "Yes, Dear-stupid-student-of-my-deceased-teammate, I am a woman of my word!" she tutted. "But my words are filled with loopholes! And fine print in your case!" She pulled out a sealed scroll from within her tunic robe.

Tsunade turned to Orochimaru with disbelief. "You _signed_ a contract with the woman?" she rested a hand to her head. "And here I thought you were smarter than Jiraiya."

"You don't know how valuable foresight is!" Orochimaru said with a smirk.

"Nor does he know how rarely I get premonitions." Genkai muttered.

Naruto held his head as he peeled himself off the side of the wall. He staggered drunkenly to his feet before swaggering sloppily over to the group. Just as everyone was captivated by Genkai mocking Orochimaru's existence, he abruptly crashed into Shizune. He recoiled, staggering back a few steps. The woman was surprised that he got near her without her noticing.

"Be careful, Naruto-kun..." she trailed off when she turned to face the boy.

"Ow…Man, that really hurt!" he said, rubbing his shoulders.

"I didn't come here so you can mock me!" snapped Orochimaru furiously.

Kabuto frowned, "Orochimaru-sama. You shouldn't get angry. It's not good for you current condition."

"Tsunade, I'll ask you again. Heal my arms and I'll give you anything you desire! Whether it's the revival of your brother and your lover or immortality, I can give you anything!" Shizune looked worriedly over to Tsunade as Orochimaru offered. The blond woman showed no response, but it's Genkai's twitch that made her curious.

"Immortality isn't all that cracked up to be," came a voice all too familiar to Naruto as he and everyone else looked up to another rooftop to see Haruhi, standing defiantly across from Orochimaru.

Naruto noticed that Haruhi's Hokage robe was different, it actually fit her! It had been tailored to her fitting, no longer making her look childish, but it did show just how thin her frame really was.

"Haruhi nee-chan!" Naruto called out.

"Tsunade-sama, something's different about Haru-chan." Shizune whispered to the blonde woman.

"I know, she's gotten stronger." Tsunade said.

"Ah, the young Spirit Detective, or should I say, the young Godaime of Konoha?" Orochimaru said with a sick twisted grin.

"Y'know, I've been hearing a lot of stuff about you being close to finding immortality, but to be honest, I think that's just a load of crap." Haruhi said with a cocky air about her.

"Haru, don't bother trying to change his mind. Some people need to experience immortality in order to find how immortals can hurt. However," Genkai looked up at Orochimaru. "Orochimaru, I suggest you to stop researching on the art of immortality."

"Why?" He grinned. "Am I going to succeed?"

"I don't need to look into the future, I can just sense when things will go bad. I'm just giving you a warning."

The snake man laughed. "And why in particular is this warning free?"

A twitch at the corner of Genkai's lip made Shizune feel uneasy as she unconsciously took a step back. "Because, I don't want to have a guilty conscience when Haru kills you."

"Kill me?" this time his laughter was loud and out to mock the older woman. "Old hag! No one can't touch me even if they tried! Especially a child who has never seen the true cruelties of mankind!"

"Orochimaru-sama!" Kabuto shouted, but the man didn't realize the danger until it was too late.

A strip of blue and white passed by his vision before he was ensnared and his movements became restricted. The strip turned out to be threads of chakra. It snaked around the sannin's arm before locking it in an uncomfortable position over his shoulder and tied it snuggly to his legs. Kabuto attempted to cut his master free, but once he neared, the thread ensnared him as well and began the process of bounding his wrists and legs together.

Kabuto proceeded to punch Orochimaru in the gut before kicking his posterior off the roof. As the snake man fell, Kabuto jumped off the building and rapidly stomped on the man's stomach.

"Baka," muttered Genkai. Haruhi's fingers twitched again and the man was thrown into the wall. With another twitch Orochimaru was brought to her feet.

"What's that about a child not able to hit you if they tried?" Haruhi mocked from where she remained on the roof.

"What?" growled Orochimaru.

She grinned slightly, twitching her fingers again. Kabuto came crashing on top of his master. Her fingers twitched again and the two stood right up. "It's really too bad you can't do a thing right now, because my chakra threads can't be cut. I learned this little trick back when I was starting out as the Detective for Spirit World, never did think I'd get a chance to use it."

"That kid just keeps pulling out the surprises." Shizune said with awe.

"Neh, neh Genkai-baba, what kind of jutsu is that?" Naruto asked.

Genkai "hmphed" as she crossed her arms. "Stop playing around, Haru, you're carelessly wasting your chakra." she said.

"Don't worry, I know my limits, and I'm starting to reach them with this technique." Haruhi said as the threads of chakra finally broke, releasing Orochimaru and Kabuto.

"You think I would give up just because you put me through that humiliation?" Orochimaru hissed as he glared up at Haruhi who had a light layer of sweat on her brow.

"Are you that obsessed with immortality?" Haruhi asked, looking down at the two. "Why do you people always search for it? There's no gain with it!"

Orochimaru opened his mouth and shot out a sword. "Haruhi nee-chan, watch out!" cried Naruto, but the warning was too late and the sword plunged into Haruhi's left forearm. The young Hokage yelped in pain as she tore the sword out. The girl had left her guard down when she became emotional and ranted. Orochimaru quickly jumped to his feet with Kabuto closely behind him.

"Haruhi nee-chan!" Naruto quickly jumped up and caught Haruhi in his arms before darting away from Orochimaru.

"Naruto!" growled the young Hokage as she pushed herself away from Naruto. "Don't try to stop me, take me back to that shit head! Stab my arm, will he? He has some guts! I'm going to kick his ass so hard his ancestors will scream!"

"Haruhi nee-chan!" whined the Naruto helplessly as Haruhi was pushing at Naruto to let her go. "But you're almost at your limit! You're going to— ACK!" Haruhi knocked her elbow against Naruto's chin and leapt off.

"DIE SPIRIT DETECTIVE!" Orochimaru took the chance and charged.

The young Hokage quickly raised a hand to fire her Spirit Gun but felt a sharp jolt go up her arm. "That technique must've taken more from me than I thought. Guess that's what I get for using a demon's technique."

The sword neared Haruhi, but at the last second, Tsunade stepped in and intercepted the attack. She caught the sword yanking it out of his mouth before flipping it over and placed it against his neck. "Stop this pointless fighting. I don't want anything from you and I don't want to help Konoha either. I despise both of you with almost the same fury." She scowled.

"Liar," growled Orochimaru as he stood from the ground. "Haruhi is the fifth Hokage. Helping her means you're helping Konoha!"

Tsunade kicked him towards the casino, but Kabuto quickly caught Orochimaru. She rested the sword on her shoulder. "Hmph, who wants to help that lousy village? I'm just doing this because I owe her." She tilted her head back, not turning her attention from the snake sannin, but enough that Haruhi knew she's talking to her. "Haru, that would pay off at least a fourth of the debt to Genkai, don't you agree?"

"A fifth," responded Genkai almost immediately. "You're not expensive to hire!"

Orochimaru stopped his attack, the snake, from before reemerged and dashed towards the duo in an attack.

"WAI! BIG SNAKE!" Haruhi shouted as she began to change direction, but the snake was faster.

Just as it was about to devour her, the ground cracked opened and had the snake fall deep into its darkness. Haruhi hovered, studying the crack. She traced it back to Naruto; he had his fist planted firmly on the ground. The boy was slightly dazed. Shizune was found next to the boy with her hands to his shoulders; she must've healed him during Orochimaru's beating.

"What the hell happened with you?" snapped Naruto furiously. "Why didn't you fire your Spirit Gun?"

"Demon techniques are dangerous for humans to use, no matter how powerful they are." Genkai said. _Of course this isn't the first time Haru's used a demon's technique. If she keeps using them, she'll surely burn out her excess supply of Spirit Energy._

"So that's your answer?" snarled Orochimaru as he glared at Tsunade. "Kabuto?"

"Orochimaru-sama, Jiraiya and more are coming. They're no more than fifteen minutes away."

"We're not retreating yet!" snapped the man.

"But, Orochimaru-sama!" the other protested.

"You should really listen to that boy," Genkai said.

"You're a liar and a cheat, Genkai-sensei," Orochimaru declared as Kabuto grabbed his master. "Orochimaru-sama, we miscalculated Genkai-san. We really need to regroup." His eyes were determined and there was a hint of amusement in his voice. In that tone, told the man many things.

Frowning, Orochimaru glanced back to the group; specifically Tsunade. "You'll regret this Tsunade," he warned before he reluctantly left with his servant. He didn't even bother to retrieve his sword.

Tsunade waited until she no longer felt their presence and turned back to the Hokage. "Haruhi, what are you really here for…?" she trailed off when Haruhi dropped tiredly to the ground and leaned back on her hands.

Naruto crawled to his feet and raced over to the three. "Hey! Is Haruhi nee-chan all right?"

"I'm fine, Naruto!" Haruhi reassured, smiling up at the blonde as he dropped to his knees next to her.

"But your arm, it was stabbed by a sword." Naruto said.

"I'm _fine_, all right?" Haruhi insisted, thrusting her wounded arm forward, the sleeves of her robe stained with blood, but there was no wound.

"Ah, the Spirit Wave." Tsunade said, as she looked over at Genkai. "So you've finally passed on your legacy, eh, Genkai-sensei?"

"Of course I did." Genkai snorted.

"Tsunade-san," Haruhi said, gaining the attention of the sannin. "Please, come back with us to Konoha."

"I've already—" Tsunade cut off her words as she saw Haruhi doing the one thing she thought she'd never see the girl do.

Haruhi was on her hands and knees before her, begging the blonde woman. "Please, two people are lying in a hospital bed in a coma because of Itachi! And I can't bring them out of it with the Spirit Wave! And a friend of mine—he's been badly injured! His injuries are so bad that his dream to become a ninja can't come true!"

Tears began to stream from Haruhi's eyes, leaving wet trails down her face. "I'm not as strong as everyone thinks I am! I'm just a kid who's trying to get by in life! _Please_, Tsunade! _Please_ come back to Konoha, take the title as Hokage because I know I can't take care of the village as I am!"

Shizune was on the verge of tears herself as Naruto and Genkai stood to the side in silence. All eyes were on Tsunade, who was looking down at the pathetic sight of Haruhi, begging for her reply.

Tsunade sighed as she knelt down on one knee before Haruhi, putting her hands on the girl's shoulders and wiped away the tears. A soft smile on her red lips.

"If you're gonna make such a fuss about it, I'll go back with you." Tsunade said.

Naruto sighed before pocketing his hands. "There's still ten minutes left." He smiled. "Would you like to finish our match?"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "You know you could have waited until they're here and win by default."

"That would be cheating," responded the boy. "I don't want you to go back on your word because of it. Besides, I want to be able to say that I managed to save my teammates with my own power, even if I can't heal them myself."

"Dummy, she's already agreed to coming back!" Haruhi bit out irritably.

A twitch teased the corner of Tsunade's lip. "Save them with your own power, huh?" a smirk stretched across her face. "Too noble and not exactly a ninja's style... but I like it." She chuckled and reached in her breast space to get something. "We'll have our rematch another time. I'll agree to healing your friends but—" She pulled out the pendant that Haruhi gave Naruto. "I'll keep this until our rematch. I'll trust you to do the same for mine?"

"But, Tsunade-sama—!" Shizune began her protest, but didn't get far as Naruto interrupted.

"Deal," the blond agreed and clasped onto the pendent through his shirt.

"Tsunade-sama, you can't be serious, that thing is—" she stopped when she saw the determination the two had. She gave a dejected sigh, as she knew nothing would change their minds.

"You moron!" Haruhi yelled, grabbing Naruto's jacket by the collar and shaking him. "I told you to hold onto that! I told you to keep it safe! That was a precious gift given to me by a demon king!"

"I—I'm sorry! She just took it!" Naruto said helplessly. "You don't have to worry about any curse, Shizune-san," Naruto grinned, "The only way I'm going to die is if Tsunade baa-chan kills me herself."

"Baa-chan?" gapped Shizune.

"Cheeky brat," muttered Tsunade, but a fond smile graced her lips.

"Of course, I won't let her kill me that easily! I still have to become the next Hokage! Me, Uzumaki Naruto! And I'm gonna be way stronger than Haruhi nee-chan!" Tsunade froze. Naruto chuckled lightly and scratched the back of his head.

"Hey, Naruto," mutter Tsunade. "Since you're not old enough for sake, want to go for tea?"

Shizune watched Tsunade worriedly for a moment, but seeing her mentor was able to recover, she watched the two before turning her attention to Haruhi who was sitting at the table with Genkai, quietly chuckling to herself. Just as she was about to follow the two a frown marred her face.

"Genkai-san, you said Jiraiya-sama wouldn't be here for a few hours." Shizune began.

"Yeah, what about it?" Genkai asked blandly.

"That was early this morning, so where is he now?"

---

"Ero-sennin!" Naruto shouted as he jumped from his seat at the restaurant and jogged over to his mentor. "Tsunade baa-chan agreed to heal Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke! Isn't that great? We ran into Orochimaru, but Haruhi nee-chan drove him away! And you know what? You know what?"

Jiraiya quickly clamped a hand over Naruto's mouth and turned to glare at Tsunade. "What did you give him?"

Tsunade turned away with a huff. "Nothing harmful." Naruto continued to talk despite being muffled by Jiraiya's hand. "He can use the immunity training, it's not like it'll last long in his system anyway."

Naruto paused when he noticed something out of place. Behind his mentor was Gai waiting patiently, but neither his teammates were in sight. Grasping onto his mentor's hand he yanked it away and barraged him with a series of questions. "Neh, Ero-sennin! Where is Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke?"

Gai raised his hands trying to calm the boy down. "They're still in the hospital."

"Tsunade, Naruto is not a test subject. Refrain from using your new serums on him please?" Genkai said warningly as she raised a finger as a warning. "Especially, if it's an annoying one! You can use him for other lethal stuff."

Gai stared at her in bewilderment. "Genkai-sama? What are you doing here?"

"Like it's any of your business, I thought Haru charged you to watch over Kakashi and Sasuke?" Genkai grunted.

"It's about damn time, Jiraiya-baka!" Haruhi said from her seat at the table, an irate look on her face. "Jeez, you were supposed to be here before me!"

"And you were supposed to remain in Konoha, looking out for your village!" Jiraiya snapped, his eye twitching and a vein pulsing in his neck.

"You were taking too long, so I came out here and convinced Tsunade to come back with us! Dummy!"

* * *

**AN: I thought about writing up the whole Sannin battle, but I got lazy and did an alternative. Hoped this chapter wasn't crap. Please Review!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Two weeks…Two weeks since the return of the renowned medic Tsunade, and _still_ Haruhi was trapped in this prison called the Hokage Tower, where she was forced to continue to run the village. And it didn't help much that the council had appointed a team of Anbu to keep her in her office, keeping an eye on her, making sure she was doing her job and attending her meetings.

She was hating it.

She cursed Tsunade's name for not taking the position as Hokage, avoiding her requests to speak with her. Haruhi slammed her fists down on her desk in frustration, snapping the brush she was using to sign the many documents that had piled up during the days she was absent.

"Hokage-dono, is anything the matter?" asked the bear Anbu.

Haruhi threw herself onto the masked man, catching him off guard as she looked up at him with comical tears streaming down her face. "Why won't Tsunade come here to talk to me? Did she decide to go against her word to be Hokage? Was it something I did?"

The bear Anbu sweat-dropped as he pried the young Hokage off of him and sat her back in her chair. Kneeling before her, the bear Anbu moved his mask to the side of his head, revealing his face (though Haruhi already knew who he was) and took Haruhi's small hands into his larger gloved ones. Smiling softly up at her, his grey eyes showing how truly sorry he felt.

"Listen, Haruhi-chan, you have to realize that the village is in a delicate state right now. All the countries have already acknowledged and recognized you as this countries new leader. If you let someone else take your place now, it'll create confusion among the other leaders and among your village. All I'm saying is; you have to be strong for your village and wait a little bit longer. Also, you haven't heard the praises everyone has been giving you within the village.

"We all think you're doing a great job keeping the citizens safe, you even kept those of us in Anbu safe. There hasn't been one mission where any of us doubted you expecting us back. Hell, even some of the other countries are saying a few good words about you!"

"Mitsukuni nii-san…" Haruhi trailed off, a light smile spreading across her face, happy for once to hear that she was praised as Hokage.

"You're still very young, Haruhi-chan, but you're incredibly strong-willed (and a bit of a hot-head) and you give everyone strength. You're a good kid, and an even better Hokage, and a really cute one, too!"

Haruhi couldn't help but giggle at that last comment, making the bear Anbu, her cousin of blood relation, Mitsukuni, smile brightly. "Are you just saying all this so I'd suffer a little bit longer? You know, pay back for getting gum in your hair?" Haruhi asked.

"Partly, but you were really little when that happened!" Mitsukuni said, "But I really mean it, Haruhi-chan, you really are good leader when it comes to your people."

Mitsukuni then stood back up, sliding his mask back over his face. Haruhi smiled up at him, knowing that he was doing the same even if she couldn't see it.

"Arigato, Mitsukuni nii-san."

"I kind of pity you, though. All that paperwork and not being aloud to go out and have fun like a normal kid. I'm just glad you haven't screwed anything up like you usually do." Mitsukuni teased.

Haruhi smiled innocently up at Mitsukuni, as she stood up and opened her window to let in some fresh air and turned back to the bear Anbu. "Get out." she said, and before the Anbu knew it, Haruhi had pushed him out of her office window.

She saw two blurs of Anbu, catching their teammate before hitting the ground. The three Anbus looked up to see Haruhi looking down at them.

"Don't give me a long speech about how I'm praised and then tease me! _Idiot_!" she yelled and then shut her window and drew the curtains close.

The three Anbus all sweat-dropped.

"She pushed you out the window too, huh?" said Susumu, walking up to the three in his black shinobi spy uniform.

"She's just ticked that Tsunade-sama is refusing to see her." Mitsukuni sighed.

"Hmm, I thought it was because of the tight security of keeping her in her office?" Susumu said. "Wouldn't blame her though, she hasn't been home for days. Ma is getting worried."

* * *

"Won't you go see her at least?" Jiraiya asked, sitting next to Tsunade at a bar.

"I've already healed Kakashi and that Uchiha kid." Tsunade said.

"But that's what Naruto wanted; you still haven't done what Haruhi wanted." Jiraiya pointed out. "I went to go see her yesterday, she's a real mess. She hasn't been home once since we got back, the council is practically working her to death. They've even assigned an Anbu team to keep a watch on her every move."

Tsunade stayed quiet, thinking back to when Haruhi begged on her hands and knees, pleading her to come back to the village, heal Naruto's teammates, and…

She closed her eyes, trying to push that memory aside.

"I'll do it."

* * *

"Huh?"

* * *

"I said I'll do it."

"Oh, Tsunade-sama, do you really mean to go through with it?" Shizune asked from where she stood off to the side of the office as Tsunade stood before Haruhi.

"It took you long enough." Haruhi drawled, stamping the Hokage seal on a document before standing up from her seat and throwing the Hokage cap to Tsunade. "You're Hokage now."

"Huh? Just like that? Don't the elders have to…?" Shizune trailed off, seeing that Tsunade was smiling down at Haruhi.

Tsunade's experienced eyes could see the very dark rings under Haruhi's eyes and the slight tremors shaking her small body in an attempt to stay awake…Tsunade was more than willing to take the job to let this child before her rest and grow.

"I'll take care of your village." Tsunade said.

Haruhi smiled weakly. "Nice," she breathed before collapsing to the floor from over-exhaustion.

Shizune rushed to the girl's side behind the desk, checking her vitals and temperature before peering over the desk at Tsunade. "She's fine, just real tired. Should I take her to the hospital, Tsunade-sama?"

_"She hasn't been home once since we got back, the council is practically working her to death."_

"No, take her home." Tsunade said, though her order wasn't directed to Shizune, but to the Anbu standing behind her.

The bear Anbu walked behind the desk and gently picked up the sleeping girl, hauling her onto his back and disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"She's a pretty amazing kid, eh, Tsunade-sama? Taking care of an entire village at her age is unheard of, and yet she did a decent job." Shizune said.

Tsunade sighed as she walked around the desk, looking down at the last document Haruhi signed, reading the first line: _Request to send out an Anbu squad to pursue Orochimaru and the Sound-nins…_ Tsunade's eyes skimmed down the page and read: _Request denied._ In Haruhi's hand writing.

"She may not know it, but she tends to put the well-being of her village before her." Tsunade said, picking up the paper and setting it on top of a stack of other signed documents, noticing that many of them were requests to pursue the Sound village ninjas, and all were denied.

_She denied every one of these requests to find Orochimaru…Haru; you're thinking two steps ahead of the game, aren't you?_ Tsunade thought as she shuffled through every request that was denied.

* * *

"…So…she just collapsed?" came a gruff voice.

"That's what Mitsukuni-san said." came a smooth, velvety voice.

"Like I said before: this village is full of fools who don't know their own limit." came a monotonous drawl.

"Hey, you're awake!" Kuwabara said, sitting at Haruhi's left side, grinning down at his teammate.

Haruhi looked up at her teammates with a groggy look, Kuwabara at her right, Kurama at her left, and Hiei sitting cross-legged at the foot of her bed.

"Your face isn't a pleasant thing to see first thing in the morning." Haruhi said, her voice gravely.

"What you say, punk?!" Kuwabara started, pounding his fists against Haruhi who pulled the covers over her head and turned on her side towards Kurama.

"I'm only telling ya the truth, man." Haruhi said, the blanket muffling her voice.

"Anyways, Haru-chan, it's good to see you're finally awake." Kurama said. Haruhi pushed the covers down enough for her head to show to see Kurama smiling warmly at her. "You've been asleep ever since yesterday."

"I have?" Haruhi quickly sat up, her hair disheveled and mussed and was no longer in her Hokage robes but a pair of light blue pajamas. "Did Tsunade keep her promise?! Is she still in the village?!"

"Relax, the woman's still here." Hiei said.

"She'll be making an announcement to the village around noon tomorrow, so you'll have plenty of time to go see her." Kurama said.

"Hey, Urameshi, is it true that you really gave the Hokage title to Tsunade-sama?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yeah. The pressure got to me, y'know? I thought nothing was harder than being a Spirit Detective, but being Hokage really opened my eyes!" Haruhi said, laughing a little as she scratched the back of her head. "I'm just glad that Tsunade's here to take that crap job."

"At least she can't abuse her power on us again." Kuwabara said.

"Oh yeah…how was guard duty? I never got around to asking you guys that." Haruhi said, smirking at her two friends.

"It was fine." Kurama said.

"Are you kidding me? It was the worst week of my life!" Kuwabara said.

"Must have given some hint to not piss Haru off when she has the power to make you miserable." Hiei said.

"Shut it!" Kuwabara snapped.

"Take it outside, you two so I can get some more shut-eye." Haruhi yawned.

"You're going to sleep some more?" Kurama asked, sounding a bit surprised.

"It's practically all she does." Hiei retorted, standing and leaving the room. Kuwabara followed after Hiei, telling Haruhi his sister wished her well and then left. Kurama was left, still sitting beside his teammate.

"Aren't you going?" Haruhi asked as she lied back down on her bed, pulling the covers up to her chin.

"You know, Haru-chan, you gave us all quite a scare when we heard that an Anbu took you home after collapsing in the office. Even Hiei was worried about you." Kurama said.

"Sorry." Haruhi said.

"It's all right, since we know you'll be okay." silence fell over the two before Kurama spoke again. "I heard from Genkai that you've learned a demon art, using thread made of spirit energy…You of all people should know that humans cannot use demon jutsus because of the high risk it can cause to their body and spirit. You're lucky to have had so much reserves of energy stored within you, otherwise you'd be dead."

"I know, I know…but I just had to try it…just once." Haruhi said, her voice soft, telling Kurama that she was close to falling asleep.

"Just be sure to never use demon techniques again, I'd hate to see you destroy yourself." Kurama said as he stood and quietly left the room, sliding the door closed behind him.

* * *

"Ne-ne, Haruhi nee-chan, is it true that Tsunade baa-chan is Hokage now?" Naruto asked, as he and his teammates, along with Team Gai sat in Ichiraku. Naruto was sitting next to Haruhi with a bowl of ramen in front of him.

"If she isn't then both Kotetsu and Izumou would be—" Haruhi was cut off when the very two people she was talking about appeared behind the seven.

"Hoka—I mean, Haruhi-dono, Tsunade-sama wishes to see you." Izumou said.

"No." Haruhi simply said, her back still to them.

"But—she said it was urgent." Izumou said.

Haruhi whipped around in her seat with a perturbed look on her face. "It took me two freakin' weeks to get her to see me! This is pay back for makin' me wait so damn long!"

Everyone sweat-dropped.

Sakura, sitting next to Naruto spoke up, "Haruhi-san, you should go see her. If it's really something urgent—"

"Urgent my ass! She probably can't handle the mountains of paperwork that I had to endure through." Haruhi ground out.

"It's probably about the announcement today." Neji said.

"Or a secret mission." Naruto said excitedly.

"A mission? About what? Normally the toddler gives me my missions." Haruhi said.

"I thought we agreed that you'd stop calling me that, _Haru-chan_?" Koenma said, walking up behind the two jounins.

"So I'm guessing you've finally grown out of your diapers, huh?" Haruhi said.

"Very funny." Koenma grumbled, "Actually, I'm here to speak with the Hokage, and since you're no longer Hokage, I've made it my business to meet with Tsunade."

"Then go." Haruhi said, turning back around in her seat, only to have Koenma reach out and grab her by the ear, yanking forcefully to make the girl stagger behind him, leveling her head in an awkward position as she cursed at the Prince of Spirit World. Both Kotetsu and Izumou followed with pleased grins on their faces.

"About time someone was able to drag Haru-chan's butt to the office." Tenten said with a tittering laugh as the six remaining genins turned back around in their seats.

"Haruhi-san seems much happier now that she's no longer Hokage." Sakura said.

"It's a shame though…" Lee sighed.

"How come?" Sakura asked.

"Haru-chan was actually doing an excellent job, giving missions to shinobis who could handle it. So far, the worse injury received during a mission was a broken ankle. She was being really careful about who she chose for every mission, it's a shame, she was a great leader." Lee said.

Sakura was a little surprised as she and her teammates were all very quiet. She thought back to the first time Haruhi, as Hokage, had assigned her, Naruto and Sasuke on a mission together. Back then, she didn't realize…

* * *

"_Yatta! Finally a mission!" Naruto cheered._

"_It'll be a simple escort and bodyguard mission, but be on your guard." Haruhi said from behind her desk, gaining the attention of all three genins. "Word has it that there have been some Rain-nins lurking around the area, hired by the opposing clan. So be careful, okay?"_

"_Don't have to worry about us, Haruhi nee-chan! I'll carry this mission out!" Naruto said with a broad grin, marching out of the door._

"_Moron! Take your missions more seriously!" Haruhi yelled, but Naruto was already out the door._

* * *

* * *

"I guess she really did worry." Sakura said softly.

"You say something, Sakura?" asked Tenten.

"Oh, no! Just thinking!" Sakura said with a nervous laugh.

"We should go, the assembly should start soon." Neji said. He and his team all stood up and left, saying their farewells to Team Kakashi.

* * *

The entire village was gathered before the Hokage Tower where Tsunade stood at the top, looking down at everyone. Shizune and Haruhi were standing a few steps behind her. The citizens and the shinobis of Konoha were all looking up as Tsunade held up the Hokage cap and announced:

"I am the Rokudaime!"

_Rokudaime?_ Haruhi, Shizune, and many other shinobi who took part in the meetings and arrangements for the exchange of titles were all wondering.

Shizune gave a rather fearful look over at Haruhi who seemed to be steaming from the ears as the girl cracked her knuckles.

_Oh no…_ Shizune thought as she sweat-dropped.

* * *

**AN: I've decided, since I have a couple chapters finished, that I'd be posting up new chapter every other day just so it'd give me time to finish the rest of the story. Please Review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Please forgive me for the long delay. I've been on hiatus due to some personal business that had a negative effact to my creativity. On top of that, for those who have been following my stories thus far, will notice that I have removed many chapters from this story because I feel that things were just becoming too chaotic with no solid storyline. So I will be reposting revised and edited chapters whenever possible and whenever I feel confident enough that it will satisfy you readers. I thank many of you who have given me such wonderful reviews and even PMed me, asking me to continue this story. Safe to say, I am not giving up on this story, for it is a passion that will never die, and it gives me great pleasure to know that you all enjoy reading my work.**

**And so, I hope you will enjoy my revised chapters.**

* * *

Chapter Six

"I can't believe it…I'm stuck with the Godaime title!" Haruhi groaned in misery, her face buried in her arms as her upper-half slumped over the table in the Urameshi tavern.

"Cheer up, Haru-chan; it's not all that bad." Tenten reassured, though her reassurance didn't help much in Haruhi's case.

"Man, Urameshi, I don't know why you're so upset. Tsunade-sama is going to take care of all the paper work. Besides, you were pretty lousy with your job anyways, abusing your powers and all." Kuwabara said, tilting his chair on their back legs, casually balancing until Haruhi reached back with her right arm and pushed Kuwabara, making him fall backwards.

"Try not taking your frustrations out on your own teammates, it's not their problem." said Neji, sitting in a chair a safe distance from Haruhi's reach (just in case).

"I am _not_ taking it out on _anyone!_" Haruhi yelled, pounding her fists on the table.

"Quiet down, Haru, you're ruining business, yellin' like a brat throwin' a tantrum." Susumu said, walking out from the kitchens, wiping his hands on a towel cloth. "Why don't you stop actin' like the selfish brat you are and start acting like a leader of a nation? The state we're currently in doesn't help much when we have the other shinobi villages to worry about."

Susumu turned away from his sister to go back into the kitchens after feeling satisfied for putting in his two cents (and making Haruhi feel small…again). "Man I'd like nothing more than to hit him once in the face." Haruhi muttered under her breath.

Almost a month has past by since Tsunade announced herself as the Rokudaime, and so far, she was _**hating**_ the job.

Tsunade sat behind the Hokage desk, pretending to be looking over the documents while in actuality she was downing her umpteenth cup of sake. Haruhi was casually sitting in one of the chairs with her teammates, looking over the objective of their new mission.

With a frustrated groan, Tsunade dropped her head into her arms, sick and tired of going through missions report, documents, meetings, and so on. Lifting her head a bit, she looked miserably over at Haruhi whom she wished was still Hokage.

"Haru-chaaaan! How did you endure such torture?" Tsunade whined.

"Easy, I made everyone else around me equally miserable." Haruhi said, while both Kurama and Kuwabara both sighed at the memory of that one horrible week they were put on guard duty at the gates.

"Hey, what's the deal with this new mission from Koenma anyway? It makes no sense." Kuwabara said, shuffling through the papers.

"Sudden bursts of unusual energy all coming from one area and it's far outside Leaf territory." Kurama said.

"More than likely its demon activity." said Haruhi.

"But if it's demon energy one of us would've sensed it." Kuwabara said.

"One of us, maybe, but not you." Haruhi said, making a jab at Kuwabara.

"Hey! That stung, Urameshi!" Kuwabara yelled.

"I'm not the one who lost all my powers!" Haruhi yelled back, standing up and heading towards the door.

"And where are you going?" Tsunade asked.

"I'm going home, 'night you guys." Haruhi said, closing the door behind her.

"Jeez, what's got her all pissy?" Kuwabara asked after Haruhi had left the room.

"It's a mystery." Kurama said.

Tsunade smiled behind her hand as she looked out the window behind her to see Haruhi walking away from the Hokage Tower in the dark night.

Sasuke stood upon the rooftop of a building, surrounded by four sound-nins. He was out of breath, and still slightly suffering from his wounds from his last mission.

"Orochimaru-sama has taken a great interest in you, why else would he mark you with his curse mark?" said the one with the extra head poking out from behind his neck.

_This is bad, I'm outnumbered and still injured._ Sasuke thought.

"Spirit Gun!" A high blast of white energy shot past over Sasuke's right shoulder, almost hitting the only female sound-nin if she hadn't ducked down. Sasuke knew who shot that blast, and was almost reluctant to look behind him to confirm his theory.

"Damn! It's that little bitch!" Tayuya cursed as she stood up.

Haruhi jumped down from a higher building and landed right next to Sasuke with a cocky smirk on her face. "Sorry, if you hadn't moved I would've been able to blast that foul mouth right off your face."

"What are _you_ doing here?" Sasuke asked bitterly.

"I could ask you the same thing. You should still be in the hospital, you moron." Haruhi said.

"This is bad," Kidomaru said to his other teammates, "With the Spirit Detective here, taking Sasuke by force will be impossible."

"Agreed." said the leader, sighing at their unfortunate luck.

"Hey, you four, what are you whispering over there?" Haruhi asked impatiently. "Are we gonna fight or what?"

"Heh, sorry, Urameshi, but fighting you is like fighting a loose canon." said Kidomaru. Haruhi took one step towards them and the four sound-nins quickly dispersed.

"Oh, c'mon, I'm not that terrifying." Haruhi sighed, "I was hoping for a good fight, too. Darn."

"Go away." Sasuke said.

Haruhi silently stared at him as he just stood there, glaring back at her. For awhile, both just stood in silence.

"Are you really going to go to Orochimaru?" Haruhi asked, "Are you really that desperate? To go to someone who _supposedly_ promises you unlimited power?"

"What do you care? I've seen the way you've fought; I've seen your power. Those sound-nins ran off just by the sight of you. Every jounin gives you high praises like a true prodigy that you are." Sasuke said with much bitterness.

"Yeah right, do you even know about all the trash they've been talking about me, too? News flash, buddy, everyone's not exactly singin' my praise."

"You're a kage, one of the youngest in history. Only the strongest gain that title."

"Big deal. To be honest, that job scared me. I was afraid for everyone I assigned a mission to. That's why I had Tsunade come back to village to take my place and be the Hokage in stead of me."

"And yet no one's died. Let me guess, you were afraid of screwing up because you're still '_too young_?'"

"Did you know while I was still pushing papers, I was approached at least twenty times a day by jounins and Anbu teams to pursue Orochimaru, the sound-nins, and even the Akatsuki? And I denied every one of them because I wanted to avoid losing more lives."

Sasuke clenched his fists tighter till his knuckles turned white. "Then you're a coward." he growled.

Haruhi gave him a shadow of a smile as she turned to leave. "Fine by me. Like my sensei always told me: go and be an idiot and find out your own mistake the hard way." She paused a moment and looked back at Sasuke. "You should think of the consequences of your decision first before doing anything. Also think of your friends and how you will break their hearts by going." At that, Haruhi jumped off the roof and onto the street where Kuwabara and Kurama, who had seen the flash of her Spirit Gun from earlier, were waiting patiently for her.

Sasuke clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms until blood trickled through his fingers. _I don't care what she says…I _will_ get stronger…more so than _her!

That night, Sasuke left.

Early the next morning, Kotetsu and Izumou were knocking on the door to the Urameshi residence. Unfortunately for them, Susumu answered the door, looking very annoyed with them and the ungodly hour they came knocking at.

"Sorry for the disturbance, Susumu-san, but the Hokage has requested for Haruhi-dono's presence." Izumou said.

Susumu stared at them both intently, his dark eyes narrowed with the promise of pain and long suffering. "Is that so?" he inquired slowly.

"H-Hai." Izumou and Kotetsu said together as they both stood as stiff as a board.

"Give me twenty seconds." Susumu said, closing the door slowly. The two jounins looked at each other and before they had time to react a body dropped on top of them, knocking both chuunin on the backs.

In shock, they saw Haruhi sit up on top of them with a groggy look on her face, scratching the top of her head like she was just waking up in her own bed instead of on top of two bodies after being tossed unceremoniously. Both chuunins then looked up to see Susumu's head sticking out of an open window, staring aloofly at them.

"Looks like it only took me twelve seconds. I'm goin' back to bed." he said, pulling his head back behind the window and closing it. Both Kotetsu and Izumou sweat-dropped.

"Tsunade-sama, we've brought Haruhi-dono as you've asked, but…" Izumou trailed off as Kotetsu entered the office with a sleeping Haruhi on his back. Tsunade stood up from her seat, her right eye twitching in annoyance as she marched up to Kotetsu's side to glare at the girl.

"HARU!" she screamed. "WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY!"

Haruhi remained sleeping.

Tsunade screamed her name again and tweaked the girl's nose, only to get a grunt and hand lazily swatting at her face. It would have been funny if it were any other matter. Kurama and a half-asleep Kuwabara were sitting with a teary-eyed Sakura, watching the entire scene until Kurama stood up.

"Allow me, Tsunade-sama." he said, stepping forward. He held up both his hands and began to tickle Haruhi.

Immediately, Haruhi sprang awake, laughing from the tickles as she lost her balance on Kotetsu's back and fell to the floor. Sitting up, she looked around at everyone.

"Was I sleep walking?" she asked.

"So he actually left, huh?" Haruhi said after being told Sakura's story of how she tried to stop Sasuke from leaving the village (and downing three cups of coffee).

"What do you mean?" Tsunade asked.

"Well, last night I ran into Sasuke and I guess he didn't listen to a word I said after the Sound-five took off." Haruhi said

"Sound-five?" Tsunade repeated.

"Yeah, but one of them was missing. I think it was that freaky bone guy?"

"Eww, you mean that creepy-ass guy with weapons made out of his own bones?" Kuwabara asked, shivering from the memory. "I still have the scar he left on my arm."

"Yeah, that's the guy." Haruhi said lightly.

"Didn't you try to stop Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked.

"I sort of tried, but I guess I'm no good with persuading people as well as I thought." Haruhi said in earnest.

"Then it's your _entire_ fault that Sasuke-kun left!" Sakura said, tears streaming down her face as she ran out of the office.

"What's her deal?" Haruhi wondered.

"Haru, weren't you listening to a word Sakura-chan said?" Kurama asked, though he knew better than to ask such a remedial question to Haruhi.

"Well anyways, the moron made his choice, it's not my problem." Haruhi said, walking out the door with Kurama and Kuwabara who bowed and apologized for Haruhi's behavior to a ticked-off Tsunade.

Moments later, Shikamaru walked in, looking lazier than ever.

"I have a mission for you."

"You serious? He left? But why?" Shikamaru asked, beyond shock.

"Because that creep Orochimaru has him in his clutches." Tsunade said darkly.

"Hang on…Wait just second! Why would Sasuke be drawn to someone so evil?" Shikamaru asked, still finding it hard to believe.

"It doesn't matter. It's a waste of time to speculate…Shikamaru…that's your name, right? I'm assigning you your first mission." Tsunade said.

"Bring Sasuke back. Is that all?" Shikamaru asked, already knowing the mission. _Why the hell do I have to go? Why not Haruhi-san? She's not on any mission and she and her team are more than capable of getting Sasuke back._ he thought.

"Sure…the thing is, this assignment needs immediate action, and odds are, there will be trouble." Tsunade said, "I've seen this pattern before. There's a strong chance that Orochimaru's henchmen are assisting Sasuke."

"If that's the case, this mission would call for a small, four-man team, compromised solely of jounin and chuunin." Shikamaru said.

"…I can't grant that…" Tsunade said.

"Wh…why not?"

"You know why. Asuma, Kakashi, even your father, aside from the bare minimum needed here in the village, most of the jounin are away on other missions. Within the next half an hour, gather as many genin as you deem necessary, and leave the village."

"Well, this is a drag…still, can't just ignore it. I'm sure it'll work out one way or the other. Am I allowed to ask the Godaime and her team to assist?"

"Haru's team is currently away for a scouting mission for Reikai. But I know for a fact that Haru herself is still in the village. Ask her for help, you can use someone like her. But if she refuses, don't push it."

Shikamaru sighed. _Well, there goes my first idea for a solid team._

"But, there is one person I recommend you include." Tsunade said.

"So the surgery was a success, then?" Neji asked.

"Hai. I'll be able to join the others soon enough." Lee said.

"That's good to know, but first, take it easy until then." Haruhi said, walking up to the boys. Both boys paused at the sight of what Haruhi was wearing, a traditional kimono, though the skirt of it had been shortened and she wore tight black shorts underneath. And what was more, her short hair had been styled and tied back with hair pins.

"Haru-chan, you look radiant in that kimono!" Lee said with blazing cheeks.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Neji asked.

"It's not all that important, just another mission." Haruhi said, breezing past the subject of her outfit as she looked at Lee. "How about you, Lee-kun? I heard about your surgery."

"Tsunade-sama truly is the greatest medic to ever live!" Lee said enthusiastically.

"Oi! Neji!"

Neji, Lee and Haruhi all looked down the stairs to see Naruto, Shikamaru, Chouji, and Kiba at the bottom. Neji and Haruhi both helped Lee climb down the stairs to where the other boys were waiting.

"What is it?" Neji asked, looking at Shikamaru.

"Tsunade-sama's appointed me to form a team to go after Sasuke, who's apparently been taken by a couple of sound-nins." Shikamaru said.

"Right, then we should get going." Neji said, looking back at his teammate.

"Don't worry about me, the mission needs you more." Lee said, putting on a brave face to hide his disappointment that he'd miss out.

"Actually, I was also hoping that Haruhi-sama would come with us." Shikamaru said, as all eyes went to the Spirit Detective.

"Can't." she bluntly replied.

"What? But, Haruhi nee-chan, Sasuke needs all the help he can get!" Naruto said.

"Listen, Sasuke had a chance to take my advice and stay here, but he didn't. He left on his own damn accord." Haruhi said.

"What kind of Hokage are you for saying such trash?" Naruto yelled in outrage.

"The kind that doesn't care when you don't listen to my advice!" Haruhi yelled back. "Sasuke chose not to listen to me when I told him Orochimaru will only use him, so now he'll have to live with his decision!"

"But—"

"Naruto, let it go. Tsunade-sama did say that if Haruhi-sama refused then don't push any further. Besides, Haruhi-sama also has other responsibilities that exceed this recon mission." Shikamaru said.

Naruto dropped the subject and followed them towards the gates where a battle strategy was to be planned out by Shikamaru.

"Time's up. We've got so far…" Shikamaru said, looking at his team.

"YEAH! FOLLOW ME, MEN!" Naruto yelled. No one said a word.

"Naruto…okay, look…I'm the leader of this squad. I mean, it's a drag, but…" Shikamaru began.

"You sure you can handle it? Somehow I have my doubts." Naruto said.

"And you hating the boss is supposed to help, Naruto-kun?" Haruhi asked, walking up to the gates with Lee. "Still, being ordered around by Shikamaru-kun, whose heart clearly isn't in it…that doesn't feel right either…"

"Nee-chan! Did you change your mind?" Naruto asked.

"Not exactly." Haruhi grunted.

"Then why bother coming if you're just gonna be useless to us?" Naruto asked. A vein throbbed in Haruhi's temple.

"Enough." Neji said, "So, detail us some plan or strategy that shows us what the higher-ups see in you. From what I understand, we're facing a likely ambush."

"Since this is a rescue mission, we're the pursuer. That means it's easier for the enemy to anticipate us." Shikamaru said, "We need a party formation that can instantly react to an assault. If you ignore me and start acting on your own…we're all die. We'll go out single-file. First, the most important forward guard will be you, Kiba. You spent all year wandering the Land of Fire with Akamaru, so if anyone knows the terrain, it's you.

"Plus, given your acute sense of smell, we can track Sasuke by scent. You can even detect and disarm booby traps, where the enemy has touched them. Also, a single-file formation is vulnerable to frontal attacks, your pairing with Akamaru makes you doubly effective. And then…I, platoon leader, come second. Whatever the situation, I can respond by ordering Kiba directly from behind.

"Meanwhile I can use hand signals to communicate with the rest of you. The center, the third is you, Naruto. You've got the best initiative, so you're best placed at the heart. You can support either the front of back, as need be. You're the hinge of our backup… especially given your shadow doppelgangers.

"Choji, you're fourth up. You don't have speed, but you have the greatest striking power. Once Kiba, Naruto and I launch a surprise attack, you take the stage and clobber the enemy with a fatal blow. In other words, your job is in the following strike. Finally, bringing up the rear…is Neji. Rear guard is the toughest job of all. With your Byakugan, you can ensure that our squad has no blind spots.

"I also need to know our current battery. Let me see all your ninja tools now. It'll just take three minutes." Shikamaru said, as everyone showed him their gear. "Any questions?" He turned to look at Haruhi. "And what about you, Godaime? You said you're not coming with us, but you didn't say you weren't coming at all."

"I may not have the best judgment, but I know when I've made a mistake. And my mistake was not stopping Sasuke last night when I saw him." Haruhi said.

"You were with him?" Naruto asked, astonished. "Then why didn't you—"

"It's not that Sasuke is my best friend. I don't even like him, really. But like us, Sasuke is a shinobi of Konohagakure. He is our comrade. And as Hokage, I will not let a comrade fall into enemy hands. That's the Konoha way. Beyond that…even I can't complain…When all your lives have been entrusted to me the day I became Godaime I vowed to not lose lives meaninglessly." Haruhi said.

"Heh! Now you sound like an actual leader." Neji mused.

"I'll catch up to you five after taking care of a few Spirit Detective matters." Haruhi said.

"What, you mean like exorcising demons?" Kiba asked.

"…Something like that…" Haruhi mumbled, "Don't get killed, you guys."

The five boys all nodded and left for their mission to start as Lee and Haruhi watched them leave. Lee looked over at Haruhi, seeing that she had turned away to walk back into the village, while Sakura, who was walking up to the gate glared at Haruhi's retreating back.

"Sakura-san," Lee said, gaining the pink-haired girl's attention. "Please, don't be angry with Haruhi-chan, she does more for the village than you know."

"Then why won't she help bring Sasuke back?" Sakura asked.

"It's…complicated. Haru, well, she's just stubborn I suppose." Lee said. Sakura wiped away the tears from her face and ran after Haruhi. "Sakura-san, m-matte!"

"Ohayo, Hinata-chan!" Ino greeted as she sprayed the plants with water outside the Yamanaka flower shop.

"O-Ohayo, Ino-san." Hinata greeted back timidly. "H-How are you t-today?"

"I'm fine, just busy with taking care of the shop." Ino replied with a cheeky grin, but her grin faded when she was Haruhi walking up the street with Sakura hot on her trail.

"Ohayo, Haruhi-sama." Hinata greeted, bowing her head to Haruhi who just raised a hand in greeting with a smile.

"Wish I could chat, but I'm being followed." Haruhi said before jumping to the roofs and dashing off.

"Wait, you!" Sakura shouted, jumping to the roofs to pursue the older girl. Looking at each other, both Ino and Hinata followed the other two, curious to know what's going on.

Haruhi and Sakura were only nine yards ahead, and from where Ino and Hinata were, it looked like Sakura was picking a fight. After all, she was throwing shurikens and kunais left and right at Haruhi.

Landing in a vacant area within the trees, Ino and Hinata arrived to see Sakura pushing Haruhi back with a series of taijutsu. In honesty, it looked more like Haruhi was amusing Sakura.

"You're a kage, you should have done something to keep your citizens safe!" Sakura said angrily, throwing a high kick that Haruhi knocked away with one hand.

"I've put my neck on the line more than you can count just to keep everyone in this village safe! One person isn't worth an entire population." Haruhi said, knocking Sakura back with an open palm. "Don't you realize that there's an even bigger threat than Orochimaru? Something's happening within Reikai and no one knows what it is."

"I don't care about Reikai! All I care is that Sasuke-kun left!" Sakura sobbed, blindly punching at Haruhi, who caught her fist effortlessly.

"If what's happening in Reikai gets out of hand and we catch it too late, not only will the human race be in danger but so will your _precious_ Sasuke."

Those words hit home as Sakura dropped to her knees, crying harder than she did that morning. Hinata and Ino were at her side immediately while Haruhi had suddenly looked behind her.

"Hey, this 'thing' that's happening in Reikai…will it come to Konoha?" Ino asked.

"I'm not sure, but lately, strange energy signals have been coming from a specific area somewhere outside Leaf." Haruhi said, stepping into the brush to locate the sudden odd presence she was feeling, but then it went away. "We should get back to the village."

"Hey, that reminds me, I haven't seen the boys today." Ino said.

"They're on a mission." Haruhi said, walking back to the three and pulling Sakura onto her feet. "They'll be fine."

"Haruhi-sama, aren't you worried at all?" Hinata asked.

"Of course I'm worried, but I'm not gonna make myself sick over it." Haruhi said, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket and handing it to Sakura.

"Why didn't you go with them?" Sakura asked in a quiet voice.

"Huh?" Haruhi said.

"Why didn't you go with them?" Sakura asked again, this time louder and looking at the Spirit Detective. "You're strong, you could have helped them!"

"That's the thing, helping those guys would only damage their pride." the three of them looked up to see Tenten sitting on a branch. "Can you imagine one of them being saved by a girl?"

"Glad you could join us." Haruhi said as Tenten leapt off her perch and landed beside her.

"Don't worry too much, Sakura-chan, Haru will eventually go out to help them. That's her style." Tenten reassured. Sakura, Ino, and Hinata all gave her a blank look. "Haru won't really ignore this; she's too much of a softy to abandon them."

"Tenten…" Haruhi ground out.

"Trust me, even though she acts like she doesn't care, she really does!"

"Tenten!" Haruhi snapped, her face red.

"She even has a thing for Neji!"

"_Tenten!_"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

"Hey! This place reeks of the enemy!" Kiba said.

"Stop! Everyone!" Shikamaru ordered, as he and the team all stopped on the same branch. "Look up there, carefully."

"A letter bomb…I see five more…" Neji said, "They're forming a perimeter barrier."

"Perimeter barrier?" Choji wondered.

"It's a kind of trap ninjutsu. A booby trap ninjutsu is triggered when an enemy enters a specified are. It's a sort of time lag snare." Shikamaru informed. "It's a pretty advanced ninjutsu…at least, according to a book my dad one forced on me."

"Great…then we'd better make a detour." Kiba said.

The five of them then began to move cautiously on the ground, avoiding the traps.

"Urrgh. These traps are everywhere." Kiba growled.

"Yeah…but it looks like they didn't have time to refine them." Shikamaru noted.

"Hey, Naruto, look out for the wire!" Kiba said.

_Wire again?_ Naruto thought, "I know, I saw it!" he grunted, lifting his foot to step over the trap.

"Wait, Naruto!" Shikamaru shouted. Naruto suddenly found himself stuck in an awkward position due to Shikamaru's Shadow Possession jutsu. "I got you in the nick of time…"

"Naruto! I told you to watch out!" Kiba yelled.

"Yeah…see that?" Neji pointed out, "The first wire reflects the light so it's easy to notice, but the second one is frosted green, making it hard to see. It's double jeopardy."

"For someone in hast, it's an elaborate trap. Which means…" Shikamaru trailed off.

"They're taking a break." Neji finished, "They might be wounded, or it's just a ruse." he activated his Byakugan and saw the enemy taking a rest. "Got them!"

"YEE-HAW! I'm gonna bring back Sasuke for sure!" Naruto hollered.

"Sorry, Naruto, it's my turn to show off my latest technique." Kiba said.

"What about me?" Choji asked.

"Don't be impatient," Shikamaru drawled, "We'll hit our target…just as soon as I knock out a strategy."

Haruhi stood with her team inside Koenma's office in Reikai, their attention focused on a screen as Koenma began to explain the strange happenings that have been occurring. Despite them all being dressed in formal garb, the briefing of their next mission took priority before they left on their current appointment.

"…And furthermore, if Reikai isn't able to pinpoint the exact location of these strange energy readings, we may have no choice but to call upon extra help from my father's army." Koenma said.

"The energy readings aren't from demons, right?" Haruhi began, getting a nod from Koenma, "Then maybe it's from angry spirits? When I was a ghost, I encountered quite a few of them. Maybe all we need is an exorcist?"

"We have no leads to that conclusion." Hiei said.

"But Urameshi might be right. Maybe it is from a bunch of evil spirits?" Kuwabara said.

"It's impossible for disembodied souls to emit high amounts of energy, it's just unheard of." Kurama said.

"I need you four to investigate this phenomenon, Reikai Intelligence believes that these signals are mostly coming from an urban town right here, it's called Karakura Town. I want you all to investigate this area once the meeting with the Gotei 13 is over and done with."

Haruhi said nothing more, having nothing else to say about the strange readings, her mind elsewhere as she and Kuwabara lead the way out of Koenma's office while Kurama and Hiei held back at the doors.

"I'll be right there, no need to hang back here." Koenma said.

"When are you going to let Haru become aware that demons and lost souls are not the only things she must worry about?" Kurama asked.

"What are you talking about?" Koenma asked.

"Don't play dumb with us," Hiei said, "We're demons, of course we'd know about Hollows. What Kurama and I want to know is why should we keep Haru in the dark about them when we are to go see your father's personal army?"

Koenma's eyes were lowered to the surface of his desk. "I don't want to make the same mistake I did with her father. I could never forgive myself if Haruhi were to become entangled with Seireitei to the brink of political strain upon the shinigamis. That is why I have not yet revealed the truth to Haruhi and her father."

"What do you mean?" Kurama asked.

"Urameshi Atsuko-san, Haruhi's mother, was once a part of the ranks of shinigamis and after meeting her father, she broke ranks and virtually betrayed her peers to be with the man she loved." Both Hiei and Kurama's eyes widened. "Atsuko's betrayal was a mighty blow to the Gotei 13, mainly because she is the only daughter of Yamamoto-Genryuusai Shigekuni, Captain of the 1st Division and Leader of the Gotei 13. Making him Haruhi's grandfather.

"In retaliation to the betrayal, they tracked Haru's father, the former Spirit Detective nearly ten years ago. He's been missing ever since."

"A-are you saying that Haru is half?" Kurama asked, stunned.

"Hai…and I would greatly appreciate it if you wouldn't tell Haru about it. Knowing that girl, she'd stop at nothing to learn the truth. And in the worst-case-scenario, if she found out that they were the cause her father's disappearance as well it may start an endless cycle of revenge. If Haru were to step out of bounds and enter Seireitei illegally, she could set off a chain reaction that would result into an all out war between Seireitei and Ningenkai."

Six hours after the mission to rescue Sasuke started, and the team was now divided, fighting the sound-nins one-to-one. And Neji had only moments ago defeated Kidomaru, but not without sustaining major injuries of his own. And as he collapsed to his knees, his vision softened, creating an image before his eyes.

Two boys ran past him like ghosts, running to a woman in a long lavender gown, lavished with glittering jewels. The boys had turned around to look at Neji, revealing their young, round faces, dark hair, and pale eyes…his eyes…the Hyuuga eyes.

Neji's eyes widened when he realized that he was seeing a vision of the possible future. He reached out a hand to touch them, but they had faded away as his vision darkened and he fell to the forest floor, unable to get back up.

(Gotei 13 Meeting Hall)

Koenma entered the meeting hall with his Rekai-tentai following close behind as his guards as he stood before Yamamoto-Genryuusai, 1st Captain of the Gotei 13, who bowed in respect, the other captains following his lead as they bowed as well.

"We are humbled to be in your presence, Koenma-sama." said Yamamoto in a formal manner.

Koenma nodded, "Thank you. Please, raise your heads and be at ease in my presence. I have come here on my father's behalf to brief you all on matters that concern the balance between our realm and the human realm. You may or may not be fully aware of this fact, but Reikai Intelligence have been finding strange readings of spiritual energy appearing randomly within Ningenkai and it has become a concern of safety between the two boundaries."

"Yes, we have recently become aware of such a situation and have sent out scouts to the human world to investigate." Yamamoto said, carefully scrutinizing the Prince's guards and feeling out their power levels, discovering that for such a young bunch, they hid their powers well. "Currently, no reports have reached us to alert a state of emergency."

"I am relieved to hear that you have kept on top of things here, Captain, but you must know that my visit is not only for just one thing. It has also come to my attention that you have also sent out shinigamis to areas that are not authorized for you to enter, such that it interferes with the affairs of Rekai business." Koenma said, careful to not mention that the shinigamis were entering shinobi territory. "I implore you to have those shinigamis leave those areas immediately less a dispute were to occur."

"To quit now when our scouts are out collecting data would prove to be a waste of our time and energy in the long-run and our further understanding of the developing world will have holes in it." spoke up Kurotsuchi Mayuri, Captain of the 12th Division and President of the Shinigami Research Institute. "You waste your breath by requesting such a thing."

"I understand that you must gather information to keep yourself updated with the goings-on in the human world, but the Gotei 13 is under oath to stay out of certain territories without prior confirmation and approval of the Royal Seal." Koenma countered.

"Then perhaps the oath is also in need of an update." said Kurotsuchi.

Kuwabara leaned in a bit closer to Haruhi to whisper, "That guy looks like a scary clown."

"Tell me about it." Haruhi whispered back, glancing at each of the thirteen captains. _From the looks of it, even I would be fooled by their appearance on the streets._ she thought until she saw a select few of whom fit the profile of crazed murderer.

Hiei and Kurama on the other hand knew that they were restricted from standing out too much, having to wear special bands on their wrists to hide their demon energy. After a long, arduous debate, the meeting ended with neither side getting what they wanted, which ticked off Koenma because the Gotei 13 were supposed to be loyal to the Royal Family and not so defiant.

As the five of them were escorted to the portal gate back to Reikai, Haruhi was overcome with a nagging curiosity of Seireitei and of why some of the captains had looked at her with familiarity.

"Is everything all right, Haru-chan?" Kurama asked as they continued walking, having noticed that the usually spirited girl had been uncharacteristically quiet all morning. "You've barely said a word today."

"Well…I'm worried about the guys back home and how their mission is going. But also…the way those captains had looked at me…it was weird and it gave me a sense of discomfort." Haruhi said.

"Try not to dwell on it and let's focus on getting home quickly." Kurama said. Haruhi nodded in agreement, though she couldn't forget that easily.

Upon returning back from Seireitei and to Reikai, Haruhi was the first to head back to Konoha without even saying so much as to what was on her mind since it was obvious to everyone why she was in a hurry. Kuwabara had followed Haruhi, since without his spiritual powers, he was clueless on where to go within Reikai.

Kurama and Hiei once again stayed behind long enough to confirm their intention of keeping the secret from Haruhi, but would not hesitate to tell her the truth if she were to ask. Koenma begrudgingly complied, knowing that the truth would be discovered sooner or later, whether it was by him or by someone else. Though the Prince of Reikai would much rather keep quiet about the whole thing.

Haruhi was quick to send for aid, using her Spirit Beast, Puu to fly to the neighboring Country of Sand, knowing that Puu would reach the Sand village within minutes versus hours using a regular carrier bird. She just hoped that she wasn't too late.

"What's this?" Tsunade wondered as she picked up a slip of paper that was weighted down by the medicine bottle next to Lee's empty hospital bed.

_Send a back-up team of medics to pick up any stragglers._

_Haru_

Tsunade smirked as she turned to Shizune. "Round up a team of medics and go after the boys."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama!" Shizune said, rushing out the door.

_I suppose there's an advantage of having two Hokage's at the same time._ Tsunade thought with an amused smile.

"Neji!" Haruhi called, running up to Neji's body. Dropping to her knees, she turned the Hyuuga prodigy onto his back. "Neji, hang in there." Haruhi reached into her hip pouch and pulled out a small jar, opening it, a potent smell reached her nose as she dug two fingers into the white pasty substance and rubbed it into the gapping wound on Neji's shoulder.

She saw Neji's reaction turn to a cringing pain as the salve burned the wound closed, stopping the massive bleeding.

_At least Kurama's medicines come in handy for these situations. Makes me pretty thankful that I take it with me everywhere I go._ Haruhi thought as she placed another two-fingers-full of the salve onto the wound on Neji's abdomen.

Neji cracked open his eyes, his vision blurred with tears from the burning sting of the medicine to look up at Haruhi. His head was resting on her lap, his hitai-ate replaced by a cool wet cloth from Haruhi's small emergency kit.

"Ha…ru…?" came his weak voice.

"Hey, relax. You've done well." Haruhi said, having seen the body of the defeated Kidomaru.

"Haruhi-dono," a medic-nin said, landing before Haruhi and Neji with two other medics equipped with the supplies that Haruhi didn't have.

"Don't tell me this is all that hag sent out? Where're the rest of you guys?" Haruhi bantered.

"The others have gone in search for the rest of the others." the medic informed.

"Oh." was all Haruhi had to say as they took Neji into their care. _And now, to catch up with the others. _

Naruto stared up in surprise to see Lee standing in front of him, facing Kimimaru in a readied position.

"Bushy-brow?" Naruto said.

"Naruto-kun, go on ahead after Sasuke. I will fight this one." Lee said. Naruto nodded his head and ran off in the direction Sasuke went. "Now, shall we begin?"

Haruhi leapt from branch-to-branch, going as fast as she could. Looking to her left, right, and back she returned to looking forward again with a satisfied smile.

"What the hell took you three so long?" she asked.

"Excuse us for getting such a sudden request." Temari scoffed. "Suna isn't exactly very close y'know!"

"Right, I'd say 'I'm sorry' but I've lost my sense of sincerity at the moment." Haruhi said.

"You're lucky we came at all." Kankuro said, "Your damn bird gave us a surprise, showing up out of nowhere like he did."

"Anyways, I sensed Shikamaru a few ways back but I lost Kiba somewhere to the north. Lee and Naruto are just up ahead." Haruhi said.

Temari and Kankuro both took off, leaving Haruhi and Gaara to continue onward.

Lee fell back after he became sober once more, fatigue finally setting in as he watched in fear of Kimimaru, approaching him with a killer's intent. But he jumped back when a rain of sand came crashing down like a wave. Lee looked up behind him to see Gaara standing calmly with his arms folded across his chest.

"Gaara?" he breathed.

"Oh man, I was afraid he'd show up." Haruhi said, coming up to Gaara's side.

"Haru-chan, you came!" Lee said.

"Ah, Urameshi-dono, so nice to see you again." Kimimaru said monotonously.

"You can take it from here, right?" Haruhi asked, looking at Gaara who curtly nodded his head. "Right, I'm off!"

Haruhi ran right past Kimimaru, who did nothing to stop her as he was preoccupied with staring at Gaara, intrigued of his control over sand.

"I hope you make it in time, Haru-chan." Lee said, watching as Haruhi flickered out of sight.

"Don't worry about her," Gaara drawled, "She can take care of herself."

Lee smiled and nodded his head in agreement.

Sasuke stared blankly down at Naruto who lied on the rocks, defeated and unconscious. Though he'd be in the same fix if it weren't for the cursed mark on his neck, keeping him unwillingly conscious.

His hitai-ate had a slash across the leaf symbol and he found it fitting, since he no longer saw himself as a Konoha shinobi. Especially after nearly killing his ex-teammate. Turning away to leave, he wasn't at all surprised to see Haruhi standing in his way, looking partly exhausted from coming so far in less time than it took to get there.

"Step aside." Sasuke demanded calmly.

"You realize of course that what you've done is a crime against Konoha. Betraying the village and killing a teammate is just two on that long list." Haruhi said, "I never really liked you, but as Hokage _and_ a citizen, I can't forgive you for what you've done for your selfish need of power."

"Good. I never once asked your forgiveness." Sasuke said coldly, taking a step forward but stopped at that when Haruhi raised her right arm.

"One more step," Haruhi's finger began to glow with her Spirit Energy building up, "And I'll shoot."

Sasuke daringly took another step and Haruhi fired, grazing his right cheek, singeing the skin. But he kept walking. He walked right past Haruhi, and did nothing but leave everything behind in pursuit of power.

"They were fortunate to have held on this long, we only hope that they will hold on for a while longer as our medics do their best." said a medic-nin, informing the waiting group outside the emergency room.

In another part of the hospital outside another emergency room, Haruhi sat on the bench, her knees drawn up to her chest, hugging them.

"You made a good call to call for Suna's help, and send out a medic team." Kakashi said, walking up to the Spirit Detective and taking a seat beside her.

"But Sasuke still got away." Haruhi said.

"But everyone's alive, that's what's important." Kakashi said, "I doubt those boys would've survived hadn't it been for you, who came in the nick of time for them."

"Hardly. I overlooked Chouji, Shikamaru and Kiba, because I was so focused on getting to Sasuke."

"Well, yeah, but at least you did _something_." Kakashi paused for a moment as he glanced down at the girl. "Sakura told me everything you said to her, about how you could care less about someone who doesn't listen when in fact it's those very people who you worry about the most. Am I right?"

Silence.

"If only I wasn't so stubborn."

"That too." Kakashi said, not disagreeing with the stubbornness.

After the long hours of intense surgery, both Chouji and Neji, who were in critical condition, were now moved to the recuperation rooms, stabilized. Much to everyone's relief. And walking down the hall to Chouji's room was Shikamaru. He was on his way to check in on his teammate, knowing he'd be able to sleep better once he saw his friend.

But as he turned down the next wing, he bumped into Haruhi.

"Well, well, if it isn't the 'girl who doesn't care,' what brings you here?" Shikamaru asked.

"Ha-ha, I'm here for a visit, is that a crime?" Haruhi asked sarcastically.

"Right…" Shikamaru said as Haruhi walked past him, "Oh, and thanks for sending out the help. Who knows what could've—" Shikamaru cut off after a strange feeling went through him, and seeing the look on Haruhi's face, he knew she felt it too. "What the—"

_No way…That sound…_ Haruhi thought as the blood curdling howl ended. _It can't be…was that a Hollow? Here? In Konoha?_

Unknown to Haruhi, Naruto, who had been lying awake in his hospital bed, had also heard the howl of the Hollow, and pondered with a million questions as to what it was. And where it came from.

"What is a Hollow doing here in Konoha?" Haruhi asked; sitting with her team out on one of the least used training grounds.

"We aren't sure ourselves," Kurama began, "Most likely it was attracted by the excessive amount of Spirit Energy, after all, Chakra and Reiki aren't that different from each other."

"Last time we encountered a Hollow was back when we were competing in Genkai's tournament." Kuwabara said.

"Yeah, and we haven't seen one since then, either." Haruhi added.

"We should find it before a shinigami from Seireitei come looking for it." Kurama said.

"They better not." Haruhi said, "Koenma made it clear that they aren't allowed in Ninja Country."

"His authority isn't enough to keep them from doing their job." said Kurama.

"I'm still unclear as to why they're banned from entering our territory." Kuwabara said.

"Well, it's mostly because many skilled ninjas with high levels of chakra which also gives them a higher sense of spiritual awareness." Kurama said, "Because of this, ninjas who encounter a shinigami most of the time mistake them for the enemy and end up fighting to the death. So a rule was enforced for all shinigamis to stay out of ninja territory."

"How come no one ever told me about this stuff when I started out as the Spirit Detective?" Haruhi asked.

"More than likely it's because Koenma believed you wouldn't need to know such things. And he's probably right, there's a slim chance that you'll meet a Shinigami out here." Kurama said.

"I guess so…" Haruhi said slowly, unsure of what to expect. _Maybe I should ask Genkai or better yet, Koenma himself?_ she wondered.

Koenma sat at his desk, frustrated at the mountains of paperwork he still had to go through, and they didn't seem to be getting any less in quantity. His job was frustrating to the very point where he'd want to stop everything and throw a tantrum from the amount of work he had to do.

Frankly, he was envious of Haruhi to be free of such things now that Tsunade had been appointed as the Rokudaime. It must be bliss to have the privilege of doing what you pleased.

Koenma let out a sigh as he stared at his office space where there was hardly any space to move.

"Wait! You can't go in there!" he heard one of his ogres' say, "Koenma-sama said to not be disturbed!"

The doors were pushed open as Haruhi entered the crammed office while the ogres stood in fear behind her. But Koenma was glad to have a distraction for once as he motioned his ogres away as they closed the door.

"Well, well, this is an unexpected surprise, Haru." Koenma said, folding his fingers together under his chin as he watched Haruhi easily slide in between the stacks of paper towards him. "What brings you to Reikai on your own?"

"Can I ask you something about the shinigamis?" she asked without blinking an eye. Koenma wasn't really expecting such a question from Haruhi.

"Of course. What is it that you wished to know?" Koenma asked.

"I've been thinking, how does someone become a shinigami?" Haruhi asked.

Koenma blinked, not at all prepared by such a question to come from his defiant Spirit Detective. "Well, to begin with, you would have to be a soul with a unique amount of Reiki. Then you go on to enter the Shinigami Academy to be trained to become a shinigami and then are placed into one of the thirteen squads based on your skill level and then become promoted if you excel above your peers."

"So it's kinda like becoming a shinobi, then?"

"Well, not necessarily. There is the matter of your zanpakutou and understanding the powers of it and such. Why the sudden interest, Haru?"

"So if I wanted to become a shinigami I'd first have to be a soul?" Haruhi asked, "Well, I've already done that before."

Koenma scoffed at that, "Please, it's not as easy as you'd think and besides they're nothing but cretins if you ask me. My father is the one who controls them, but even he can do so much to keep them under his command. You see, Haru, Seireitei is a separate space between Reikai and Ningenkai. In the old days, souls used to be ferried by people like Botan and brought straight to the Gate of Judgment, but since Seireitei was formed, souls that are purified by a shinigami go to Seireitei directly and wait to be reborn. But sometimes it would take hundreds to thousands of years before a soul is reborn.

"Of course the way things are over there, the souls have been stuck with no place to go, and the majority of those souls live in poverty. But there is an equal balance in it all, thus the cycle is maintained. If something or someone were to tip the scale, we'd both pay some serious consequences."

"If what you say is true, then how come I wasn't picked up by shinigamis like them when I died?" Haruhi asked.

"Because you weren't a lost soul. Nor were you a Hollow. Plus, shinigamis don't get to every soul, only those whose chains have been cut."

"Chains? I don't remember having chains when I was a ghost."

"That's because your death was an inconvenience, a stroke of luck, if you will." A vein pulsed in Haruhi's temple at that comment, remembering how Botan had told her that her death was a complete fluke. "Anyways, Haru, you should be cautious about shinigamis. They may not harm you, but I advise you to stay away from them."

"Are they dangerous?"

"The peons you can take, hands down. It's the captains I advise you to stay away from at all costs. If I were to compare their strengths, I'd say they're pretty close to A, even S-rank demons of Makai. In truth…" Koenma's voice lowered, "They're the ones who are responsible for the disappearance of your father."

Haruhi's eyes widened.

"My…father?"

"NANI?" both Tsunade and Shizune exclaimed together.

"I'm going to be leaving for awhile, so take care of the village in my absence." Haruhi said in nonchalance.

"B-But, Haru-chan! What made you come to this decision all of a sudden?" Shizune asked.

"Koenma just gave me a mission that requires an inside job, so I'll be gone for who-knows how long." Haruhi said.

"Haru, did something happen recently?" Tsunade asked, sensing something else behind Haruhi's latest mission. Something that seems to have changed within the young girl. Something that was completely unrelated because usually Haruhi would simply complain and belly-ache about any assignment given to her as Spirit Detective.

"It's just something I have to do. Koenma is counting on me and the guys to find the source of the reiki outbursts." Haruhi said with a cheerful smile. "So take care of the village 'till I a come back, okay?"

Tsunade felt reluctant to let Haruhi go, having grown too comfortable with her around, picking up any slack of running the village. And now, she knew, deep in her heart, that Haruhi leaving for whatever cause, mission or not, would be good for the girl. Tsunade had been noticing the signs of anxiety and depression within Haruhi, how her daily habits had changed ever so slightly, not to mention her lack of enthusiasm when it came to bickering with her teammates.

With a heavy sigh, Tsunade nodded her head in approval. "Come back home safely, Haru."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Naruto stared up at the ceiling of his hospital room, bored, and unable to sleep unlike Kiba and Chouji who were both out like a light. It was annoying for him, unable to get out of the hospital like Neji, so he could start training again to build up for when he went to go find Sasuke.

At the moment he was envying Kuwabara who was out with his team, scouting the forest. Free to move around. Even if it was raining as hard as it was. Naruto just wanted to get out.

_I wonder what Haruhi nee-chan had to do to be able to shoot chakra like that and still have more left in her?_ Naruto thought, holding up his hand like he was going to shoot a bullet of chakra like Haruhi. _Did she go through some special training with Genkai baa-chan? Or are the stories really true about her…about how she died and came back to life. I want to know…I want to know how she became so strong…Maybe…_

Naruto fisted his bed sheets.

_Maybe Haruhi nee-chan is more capable of bringing Sasuke back than I am…Sasuke, you bastard…you made Sakura-chan cry again, and you even made Haruhi nee-chan come after you in the end…but you still got away…_

_I vow…to get you back no matter what it takes! _

"Haru-chan, why not step away from the window and help your dear obaa-san with dinner?" said Haruhi's grandmother.

"Hmm?" Haruhi turned around slightly to look back at the elderly woman from her conflicting thoughts.

"I said come help me, child." said Haruhi's grandmother, waving her over.

"Hai, obaa-san." Haruhi said, walking over to the counter and taking the ladle from the old woman and began pouring the sauce into the little saucers.

"You seem distracted, Haru-chan, could it be because you're not feeling well?"

"You could say that."

"Oh? And what could have you acting so strange? Could it be our little Haru is thinking about that nice Hyuuga boy?"

"Obaa-san!" Haruhi exclaimed, her cheeks tinted pink.

"There's no need to be embarrassed, Haru-chan. The Hyuuga clan are good friends with the Urameshi clan, it's only natural that a bond like yours will happen. It was your father's wish after all."

Haruhi stared at her grandmother's back as the elderly woman stirred the stew.

"I always knew my son was a foolish boy, but he was smart and understanding, had a strong sense of right and wrong. Hyuuga Hizashi, being his closest friend, made a deal for their children to marry so that their bond will never die. Of course your brother was already born at the time, and Neji-kun turned out to be a boy, too. Luckily you were born, giving hope to their promise.

"Of course not much later did Hizashi pass away and your father disappearing to Kami-sama knows where, did we forget the bond. But it was still there. I knew you two would end up together in the end, I could feel it in these old bones of mine."

"Obaa-san, do you know why tou-san left?"

"No, my dear, sadly I don't."

"I see…guess it's just one of life's mysteries."

That night, Haruhi laid awake in her bed as the heavy rain continued to pound against her closed window. Her thoughts still lingering on her conversation with Koenma just hours ago.

"_What type of mission do you have for me?" Haruhi asked. Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei were standing around Koenma's desk with Haruhi, waiting for the details._

"_It's been reported that the source of reiki outburst is mainly centralized within the limits of a place called Karakura Town." Koenma said, the monitor screen lighting up and projecting a satellite picture of the town. "It's a human town with non-shinobi citizens. In fact, it's an urban town where shinobi and demons don't exist. It's perfect for undercover work. Now, the reiki bursts are coming from tears between Ningenkai and Hueco Mundo, allowing low-level hollows to pass through."_

_The screen then changed to a typical model of a shinigami. "Next thing you should be on the look-out for are shinigamis, as you can see, Karakura is not off-limits to them and thus Seireitei has two or three shinigamis patrolling that area alone. So there really shouldn't be too much trouble with them, I have already informed them that you will be in the area. The second part of your mission—"_

"_Whoa! Wait, second half?" Haruhi interrupted._

"_Yes, Haru, a second half. Shall I continue?" Koenma said, tapping his fingers against the polished wood of his desk in impatience._

"_Please, Koenma-san, continue." Kurama said._

"_As I was saying, the second half of your mission is to keep a watchful surveillance on Seireitei while also controlling the number of hollow activity in the area. I've come to believe that there is a traitor among the Gotei 13."_

"_What should we do once we discover who the traitor is?" Hiei asked._

"_You will keep track of them until further orders." Koenma said._

Haruhi sighed and raised her right hand, holding it over her face as she recalled her last visit to Seireitei and how uncomfortable it made her feel to be in a room full of the strongest shinigamis. It wasn't their powers that made her nervous but their constant stares. It had felt like being put on display for their entertainment.

"_Must be nice to be in the good graces of the prince." spoke Ichimura Gin, captain of the 3__rd__ unit. Not to mention he had a spooky face that sent unpleasant chills up Haruhi's spine. At that time, Haruhi and her team were waiting outside the office of the 1__st__ captain's office while Koenma spoke to the old man._

_Haruhi tensed, not at all liking the vibe that came off of Gin. Even Kuwabara, who was lacking his sixth sense tensed up from unease. _

"_We are in no position to exchange words with you beyond this point. So please, excuse our lack of communication." Kurama said._

"_Oh my, how scary for such young children to act in such a way." Gin said in a light taunt._

"_Ya shouldn't waste yer breath, Gin. They're nothin' but a bunch of wet-nosed brats." said Zaraki Kenpachi, captain of the 11__th__ unit, walking up to stand beside his colleague._

_Haruhi instantly wanted nothing more than to leave and return home as he stomach churned with further unease. Her heart was hammering inside her chest and her palms were moist and cold. It was becoming a bit difficult to breathe when each breath felt like razors ripping her lungs and throat. She understood why she should be wary of the two captains, but she didn't understand why her body tensed and her stomach churned and her heart raced with fear and adrenaline. Or was it something els? She knew she had no reason to fear but her body was acting out on its own accord and she had no control, which is why she figured it to be the natural reaction of fear. The only time she remembered feeling such a way was when she was faced with Toguro's raw power during the final match in the Dark Tournament, sine then, nothing compared…until she came face-to-face with the shinigami captains. But this…this right now…felt different._

_She felt a bit…faint?_

"_I heard how you punks won the Dark Tournament a few months ago and I just wanna see exactly how strong you really are. Especially…" Kenpachi sneered, turning his one visible eye and pointing his zanpakutou purposely to Haruhi. "…you. I heard you defeated a high ranked demon by yourself. Hard to believe that a little girl like you could achieve such a thing. So show me."_

"_Show you what?" Haruhi asked, embarrassed by how weak her voice was. _

"_Show me just how strong you are. Fight me, little girl."_

_Instantly Haruhi and her team all tensed and Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei all straightened their backs, ready to strike back at the shinigami captain._

"_Now, now, let's be civil here. Koenma's pets obviously aren't here to fight." Gin said, though he didn't appear to care either way, just amused to see what happens next._

"_C'mon, Spirit Detective, show me just how strong a fighter you are!" Kenpachi thrust his sword forward and Haruhi instantly reacted by jumping back, out of reach from the blade. Hiei and Kurama both acted as shields, halting Kenpachi's zanpakutou with their weapons of choice while Kuwabara had moved in front of Haruhi._

_Frowning, Kenpachi pushed forward, determined to see first hand of what the Spirit Detective could do. Most of all, he wanted to test his own strength against the Spirit Wave technique he's heard so much about. Forcing himself through Hiei and Kurama and then kicking Kuwabara aside, nothing was left between him and Haruhi._

"_Urameshi! Run!" Kuwabara said, holding his bruised ribs._

_Haruhi couldn't hear past her thundering heart as she watched Kenpachi approach her, sword at the ready. He struck, and Haruhi evaded. With each swing of the sword, Haruhi dodged out of the way, her impulse to fight back delayed by a haze momentary hesitance._

_Kenpachi feinted a blow to the side and slashed upward, catching Haruhi off guard. Her teammates were all shocked at the scene they had witnessed as Haruhi staggered back, her hands over her face, and then fell to her knees, head down. Blood flowing freely through her fingers._

"_Haru!"_

"_Zaraki-taichou! What is the meaning of this?" boomed in the voice of Yamamoto-Genryuusai. _

"_Tch! Nothing more than a cocky brat." Kenpachi scuffed as he turned sharply and walked off with his sword resting against his shoulder._

"_Urameshi!" Kuwabara said, hurrying to Haruhi's side, along with Kurama as they both checked on their team leader. Hiei stayed back, his distrust of Gin keeping him from turning his back to the spook-faced shinigami._

"_Have you no control of your captains, Commander?" Koenma scolded, outraged of the attack of his Spirit Detective._

"_Haru, how badly hurt are you?" Kurama asked, though he could guess by how much blood was streaming through Haruhi's fingers. Slowly, he pulled Haruhi's hands away and saw that she had been cut from the right top of her forehead, and diagonally across to her left jaw. Luckily her eyes had not been harmed and the cut was shallow, but clearly it had shaken Haruhi._

After returning to Reikai, Haruhi had been tended to by a doctor and the scar was healed leaving no lingering marks. But mentally Haruhi was still haunted by it, bothered by the fact that she was virtually paralyzed and could do nothing but dodge. Normally she would have been able to fight back with ease. Sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of her bed, Haruhi walked over to her closet, pulling out an empty pack and began to fill it with a few essentials.

She paused in her packing for a moment to cough into her fist. Lately, she had come down with a cold shortly before leaving for Seireitei, but had merely shrugged it off and took some cold medicine. But the coughs had continued on and off since, and she continued to ignore it.

It was almost time for her to leave.

But first…

Naruto had snuck out of his room and onto the roof, looking out beyond Konoha, thinking about how he had failed in bringing Sasuke back. He felt so…_weak_…! And he hated it.

"What do you want?" Naruto asked in a low voice.

"I need you to give me my necklace I lent you." Haruhi replied, standing five steps behind Naruto who looked back at her.

"Why?" Naruto asked slowly.

"I can't tell you my reasons, you wouldn't understand." Haruhi said, a set, emotionless look on her face as she approached Naruto and hugged him.

"Nee-san…" Naruto breathed, not knowing how to react to this sudden act as he felt his cheeks get slightly warm.

"Take care, Naruto-kun." Haruhi whispered, stepping back with the necklace in her hand. Naruto reached up to feel that she had taken the necklace from him, realizing that she hugged him for that reason.

Without a single word, Naruto silently and helplessly watched Haruhi, his senpai…the Godaime…the strongest kunoichi…his friend…walk away. After all, how can he stop someone who had the power to make mountains crumble at her feet?

At the closed village gate awaited Haruhi's teammates as the Spirit Detective approached them. But they weren't the only ones waiting at the gate.

"Well, well, didn't think I'd get a farewell party." Haruhi said sarcastically, walking up to the group. "The Rokudaime, nii-san and kaa-chan. Nice to know I have people who care."

"Be grateful, you brat." Tsunade said, but not in good humor.

"Haru-chan, please rethink this decision." Atsuko said.

"It'll be fine, it's not like I've never gone on missions like these before." Haruhi said.

Susumu stepped forward, standing in front of Haruhi with a serous look on his face. He carried a back-pack over his shoulder. "If you leave this village, then so shall I."

Haruhi snorted humorlessly, never one to really take her brother's words lightly.

"I have kept my promise to tou-san by keeping watch over you and the clan. Even though I have no real intention of staying in this village all my life. Once you leave, Haru, my promise will be void and I'll be free to leave. I will even join my former teammate, Uchiha Itachi, to see the world in a different way."

Taken aback, including the others, Haruhi looked at her brother in shock. "What? Join Akatsuki? Are you crazy? Do you wanna be a criminal and be hunted down like an animal?"

"Susumu! Don't joke like that. It's not at all funny." Atsuko said.

"I will only stay if you beat me in a fight." Susumu said, staring down at his sister. "But if I win, you will not get in my way and remain in this village."

Haruhi dropped her bag at her feet and took a few steps away from everyone and assumed the fighting position. Instantly Haruhi's power flared up, visible to the naked eye, showing off the raw power that she possessed. Susumu, not at all intimidated, also flared up, showing off his raw power that rivaled his own sibling's.

The village shinobis who came on Tsunade's orders to witness the strength of their parting Godaime were all overwhelmed with shock and amazement that such people could harness such power. And in their village no less.

"They both just flared up without any warning." Kuwabara said in awe.

Just as quickly as their powers inflamed, it vanished as they both took off at a normal sprint down the street. Sizing each other up before the initial attack.

_Something's wrong…_ Haruhi thought, _how could I have overlooked this power? Since when did nii-san have so much reiki? Was he secretly training by himself? Is he stronger than I am? The only way to know for sure is to face him head on!_ Haruhi skid to a halt and sprang towards Susumu, flicking out of sight to appear at his blind spot to the left. _This is it. I've caught him off guard._

Going in with a classic right hook, Haruhi didn't expect to have her punch to be knocked away, and was left open for an attack. She watched as Susumu raised his right leg and kicked her across the head, sending her back towards her teammates.

Haruhi maneuvered herself to her feet and skid across the street, the left side of her forehead red and throbbing, yet she grinned and said, "Try that again."

Again Haruhi flashed forward, trying the same attack only to end up with the same results as she went flying into the window of a fabric shop.

"Stay down, Urameshi! You won't be able to leave without getting through all of us!" Kuwabara called out.

Haruhi flickered back out into the street with shards of broken glass falling off of her while hugging her ribs that she was sure were cracked as she wiped off blood from her lip with her other hand.

_What the hell was that? All my punches were solid, but he brushed them aside like broccoli he didn't order. Nii-san's not giving me a chance to kick his ass._ Haruhi thought.

"As I thought, the two siblings are too much alike." Kurama said, as Kuwabara looked at him. "With their similar background, and being blood related, it's akin to fighting your own reflection in the mirror. A futile war that cannot be won. He anticipates Haru's every move. It's what he would do. Only he's one step ahead."

"You're not wrong. And it's thanks to the Urameshi's Reshuuken Style." Tsunade said, as all eyes turned to her.

"Reshuuken?" Kuwabara inquired.

"It's a special brand of martial arts that relies on fast footwork. The fighter maintains his position while diverting attacks with his arms, then retaliates with powerful kicks. There are stringent rules governing the study of the Reshuuken Style: One may only learn its ways once they have every other technique under their belt. So many consider it the strongest, most elegant maneuver in all of martial arts.

"It's a trump card within the Urameshi clan, taught to the clan members as soon as they can walk. Susumu is a master of the art and Haru's barely touched the surface, that's why Haruhi isn't dead right now, because she can prevent the kicks from causing too much damage. Just by learning it the hard way like they all did."

Haruhi skidded back several yards down the street after blocking a kick from Susumu that would have crushed her ribs. "Studying our family's special martial arts, even teaching you, Haru, the basics of it, made me strong." Susumu said, as he moved his left palm to face upwards and formed a magenta colored sphere of energy that put every shinobi who was witnessing this on high guard. "But this technique you have never seen, or may never learn. It's my own special blend of Reshuuken and Reiki. A vengeful new twist on an old favorite. I like to call it the Reikou-Reshuuken."

"Remarkable. Energy and style as one." Tsunade gasped.

_Well, you've been making the most of your free time…_ Haruhi sarcastically thought as a cough tickled its way up Haruhi's throat.

Susumu tossed the sphere into the air and leapt up with it, turning in mid-air to face Haruhi's teammates.

"It's time to judge your allies." he said, preparing himself to kick the sphere like a soccer ball. The sphere of energy shot past Haruhi's head and curved upward into the sky, leaving a stunned Haruhi in place.

_Whoa…that was too close for comfort!_ Haruhi thought.

"Guess all the training in the world can't make up for bad aim." Kuwabara said.

"Heads up!" Tsunade shouted as Susumu came down towards Haruhi. His right foot stuck straight down for a crushing stomp upon his sibling, but Haruhi had back-flipped away as Susumu's foot broke the pavement.

Haruhi narrowed her eyes at her brother. "That's it! I'm permanently retiring your ass!"

"For such a dumb kid you've got a pretty smart mouth, Haru." Susumu said, but Haruhi ignored him as she ran forward, thrusting out another punch.

Susumu raised his left hand to block, but found that Haruhi had stopped and began to leave after images of herself around him, trying to confuse him.

"Interesting. Not a bad fake. But it'll do you no good." Susumu said, seeing through Haruhi's trick and blocking her punch and then following with an excellent kick to the stomach.

Haruhi went flying through another window of a shop. Sitting up gingerly and coughing for air, Haruhi held her sore stomach as she looked up at her brother who stood among the broken glass.

"It's a shame Junior couldn't find a better detective. I just can't decide if I should be insulted or sorry that you took up father's place instead of me." Susumu said, before dashing off down the street.

Haruhi gasped as she jumped out into the street again, a few jounins coming to her, asking if she was hurt.

"Move!" she yelled, pushing the jounins roughly away from her as she dashed off after her brother. On impulse, Haruhi channeled chakra into her legs to jump up the roofs with incredible speed as she threw out a right punch, missing her target as he moved aside. Again, Haruhi made the initial move, only to have her punch knocked away and block a powerful kick that sent her flying down the tiles.

Haruhi quickly flipped onto her feet and began to dodge the on-set of kicks that Susumu was giving as everyone stayed back and watched the magnificent fight. Susumu swung his right leg around and finally kicked Haruhi in the side. At first seemed like Susumu had won, but Haruhi's arm hooked around his leg as she mustered up enough of her smug attitude to give a half-grin.

"Well, now that I've finally got a leg up on you," she said as her right fist powered up with Spirit Energy. "Let's see how you play kickball with this!"

About to fire, Haruhi was caught off guard as Susumu kicked her across the head with his other leg, sending her reeling off the roof top and crashing down into the street where she bounced once and then skid to a halt on her back.

"Luckily I have a spare." Susumu said as he calmly jumped down and walked up towards Haruhi, who just sat up and shook her head.

Haruhi raised her right arm at Susumu and yelled, "I hope you roast in hell, you bastard! Spirit Gun!" The massive blast of Spirit Energy shot out from Haruhi's fingers. Susumu quickly leapt backwards for distance and summoned his own technique.

"Resshuu-Koukyuuha!" Susumu said, kicking his own signature attack, neutralizing Haruhi's Spirit Gun blast.

_That jerk popped my Spirit Gun like a balloon at a stupid kid's birthday!_ Haruhi thought as veins began to appear on her head, showing her irritation before doubling over and coughing into her palm. Not having realized from before that Susumu had damaged a few of her internal organs.

"Enough of this, Haru." Susumu said, walking up to his sister again and stand over her like a tower. "You lost, admit defeat."

Haruhi clenched her jaw as she refused to look up at her brother, or at anyone else to hide the shame that was written on her face.

"Those kicks Susumu had demonstrated," Kurama began, stepping up beside Tsunade. "If Haru hadn't dodged them the way she did, what would have really happened?"

"The Reshuuken Style is a very powerful form of martial arts. If used correctly, the user can destroy his opponent, not only physically, but internally as well by channeling chakra into their legs and feet." Tsunade explained, "It's almost like the Hyuuga clan's taijutsu, only this is much more damaging. Of course, Haruhi knows how to avoid receiving critical damage, she just doesn't know how to repel the damaging chakra being channeled into her body.

"And with all the hits she's been desperately avoiding during her fight, I'm pretty sure it's only a matter of how far she'll push her body to its limit before her internal injuries slow her down."

"I'm surprised she didn't die from the first time she got kicked." Kakashi said, jumping down behind Tsunade and the group with Jiraiya, Asuma, Kurenai, and Gai.

"Does it really surprise you, Kakashi?" Jiraiya asked nonchalantly as he stared at the jounin from the corner of his eyes. "After witnessing Haru's display of power back in the Dark Tournament, I'm surprised you'd doubt her ability to adjust during a battle."

"I don't doubt her ability; I'm just concerned of the affects that her body will be experiencing." Kakashi said. "She's still just a child if you've forgotten."

"Child or not, Haruhi was appointed as Hokage at fourteen. Eight years younger than when the Yondaime was chosen." Jiraiya said, "Give the girl some credit for her early achievements."

Susumu walked back to where he dropped his bag and slung it over his shoulder. "That settles it then. I have no other obligations to stay here."

"You'll be marked as a missing-nin if you fully intend to abandon this village." Tsunade said.

Susumu turned away and began heading out through the gate. "I haven't a care in the least." he said before vanishing in a wisp of smoke.

"Haruhi," her mother spoke, walking up to her daughter who got up after refusing a helping hand from her brother. "There's something you should know. Before I met your father, I was a shinigami soldier in Seireitei, a member of the 1st Unit."

If it weren't for the pain, Haruhi would have been even more shocked than her facial expressions showed.

"So you're saying that me and nii-san…even Kimi-chan…"

Atsuko nodded, "Yes, Haru. That's right. You and your siblings are half-shinigami. But believe me when I tell you this, there is nothing to be ashamed of, and nothing to fear."

Haruhi's eyes were wide. Her jaw clenched tightly shut, and her body felt stiff and heavy.

"Kaa-chan…" Haruhi began softly, "I have something I need to do. And nii-san…I'll make him regret leaving the village so selfishly."

"If you're so stuck on leaving, Haru, then I suggest you do what you have to do. But if you need time away from it all, find Urahara Kisuke. My older brother. He will take you in when you need a place to go." Atsuko said, putting a folded piece of paper into her daughter's palm.

It was so ironic to Haruhi… All these years she had grown up believing that her mother was a poor kunoichi from a far off country. A modest woman. But now that image has shattered. She didn't know who this woman before her is anymore.

"A child born of a shinigami is recognized as a true blood. You and your siblings are rare among shinigamis, because you have a human father who had an incredible level of reiatsu, making you all what would be classified as a super-soldier. You and Susumu are both unique, capable of adapting yourself to the situation instantly. Thankfully, your father used a protective seal to keep you all safe.

"But I know my children well. Susumu found out about this when he was seven after seeing his first spirit, thus learned how to elude the shinigami assassins. And you, Haruhi, showed great promise that Enma-sama himself could not allow you to die. It makes me proud to be your mother."

Haruhi could barely bring herself to look at her mother, let alone at anyone else, because she didn't want them to see that she really didn't want to leave. But…

"Why are you telling me this all now?" she asked.

"Because you deserve to know the truth of my origins and of the greatness your father had seen in you and your brother. He foresaw this day, Haru, and instructed me on what to do when it came."

Crushing the paper in her palm, Haruhi nodded. "I'll come back…but I won't ask you all to be patient with me." she said in a soft voice, willing herself to walk forward towards the gate.

"Urameshi…do you seriously think you can do this alone?" Kuwabara asked in a shaky voice, his disappointment evident. "You haven't changed one friggin' bit!" he yelled, "You're still as selfish as ever! What about us, huh? We're your friends, Haru! You're _friends!_ And you're just gonna leave us behind like we'd get in the way?"

"Kuwabara, please, control yourself." Kurama said, holding Kuwabara back by standing in front of him.

"Why are you doin' this anyway? You're acting like we don't matter anymore! Well, you're wrong! We're a team!" Kuwabara yelled, tears beginning to stream down his face. "We've always been a team! And if you leave, this team will fall apart! It'll be your fault, Haru! You hear me, punk?"

"Kuwabara, you have to calm down!" Kurama said.

"You can't leave! Not when the village still needs you! Not when _we_ still need you!" Kuwabara cried, his tears flowing freely and shamelessly.

"I promise…I _will_ come back." Haruhi said, not once turning to look back. She didn't want everyone to see the tears she was shedding. "Arigato, everyone."

Neji awoke the next morning, an empty feeling in the pit of his stomach as he sat up, surprised that he felt no pain. Tossing his covers back, Neji stood up. He was healed! But how?

He looked around him, nothing seemed out of the ordinary until he spotted the piece of paper on his nightstand. He picked it up and read it:

_I promise I'll come back, so please wait for me._

_Love,_

_Haruhi_

Neji crushed the note in his fist. _Haru…why?_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

_When I was twelve…I died._

_I became a ghost, lost and confused. I couldn't grasp the fact that I died until I recounted the accident. That's when I met Botan. She led me home, where I saw my family mourn over my death, and then I knew…I had to come back. Botan took me to Reikai where I then met the young prince Koenma. He gave me an ordeal that came in the form of an egg, and I accepted._

_I was sent back to Ningenkai to allow my egg, my ordeal, to feed off my energy, so that it would hatch and guide me back into my body. But then a small fire broke out in my home, and I sacrificed my chance at life in order to save my brother and sister._

_I thought I'd be lost forever._

_Then, I was given a second chance by Koenma, and I was returned to my body by a kiss. That kiss was from Hyuuga Neji, the boy who was my rival at everything…and became my first kiss. After that, I became the Spirit Detective, protecting humanity from demons and evil spirits. That's when my team began to form, consisting of Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei._

_And as time went by, my small, narrow world grew larger and brighter with each friend I made. And through the trials and hardships, our bonds grew strong. So strong that we pulled each other through Maze Castle and the Dark Tournament, and lent each other a shoulder to lean on._

_My world grew broader when I became Hokage. The responsibility of an entire village rested in my hands. I did what I had to do for the good of the village…I had Tsunade brought back to take my place._

_Many events happened after that. Like a chain reaction of misfortune. And because I had failed to see the point of having so much power I decided to leave and find the answers to every one of my questions._

_So I left._

_I left to find myself, wanting all doubts behind me about my future._

_With Koenma's assistance, I was able to journey into Makai where I trained for a year under King Raizen's tutelage before he died, leaving his domain to me as a parting gift. And as big a fool as I am, proposed to the other two Kings to step down from their thrones and have a tournament to decide who will be King of Makai._

_They agreed._

_A fierce competition of will was shown as every demon thought that they had a chance to become King. I lost, and so did Yomi and Mukuro. But luckily Enki, an old friend of Raizen's, won and became a good-natured and fair King and passed the law that no demon is to cause mischief in Ningenkai._

_That was a few months ago._

_Now…I've returned to Ningenkai, inside a little house that has a shop out front in a place called Karakura Town near a city called Tokyo. Tired of fighting and searching for the last few remaining answers to my questions. I often wonder why I don't just go back home to Konoha…but every time I think about home, the thought "I'm not ready yet" always surfaces._

_But that's fine…_

…_For now._

_Urahara, the uncle I never knew before my mother mentioned him, has been a good host, and has taught me much about Seireitei and other things I wish to know. So far I've been living here in the Urahara household for three months and I've grown quite accustomed to Karakura, finding it's more sophisticated technology irritating but also convenient and entertaining. On top of that I have to wear a rosary bracelet around my right wrist to suppress my Reiki and stay under Serireitei's radar. Apparently they've been looking for me for awhile now due to some recent uprising in demon activity._

_I'm sure the guys have it under control._

_There's enough spiritual activity in this small town as it is. According to Urahara, Karakura is like a mecha for Hollow activity and that there are shinigamis appointed here to keep the count under control. I've seen a few Hollows, even killed them if they notice me, and I stay out of sight from the shinigamis._

_To sum things up, it's kinda boring here._

(Three Years Later)

"Good morning, Haru-chan!" Urahara Kisuke greeted enthusiastically as Haruhi walked into the cramped living room and sat down for breakfast, still in her pajamas that was basically a pair of lounge pants and a tank top.

"Ohayo." Haruhi greeted lazily.

"Did you sleep well, nee-chan?" Ururu asked, who was sitting next to Haruhi.

"Ah," Haruhi replied just as lazily as her greeting, taking a bowl of rice handed to her by Tessai, giving him a curt bow of her head. "How about you, Ururu-chan. Did you sleep well?"

"Hai! Very well!" Ururu said, smiling up at Haruhi whom she grew attached to and looked up to as a sister-figure.

"Why bother asking her that every morning when she'll just reply with the same damn thing." Jinta said in a smart-ass manner.

"Because it's good manners, Jinta-kun." Ururu replied in her soft voice.

"Forget about it, I don't mind." Haruhi said.

"**Let's bring him out! The new century's premiere spiritualist! Hell's messenger! Don Kanonji-san!" **announced a TV broadcaster as a man in a ridiculous outfit appeared on the television screen.

"**Spirits are always with you! BOHAHAHAHA!"** said Don Kanonji.

"What a joke. The people here are fools to believe he's a psychic." Haruhi criticized blandly.

"Perhaps, but the kids like him nonetheless." Urahara said, tapping his fan against his chin while watching the show.

"**I'm gonna let you babies hear the whispers of the spirits again this week! BOHAHAHAHA!"**

"Why do people bother watching someone so phony? Real psychics don't go around selling their abilities off like some cheap roadside show." Haruhi said, crunching on a pickled radish.

"That may be true from where you're from, Haru-chan, but here, people do whatever they can to get attention." said Urahara, "By the way, I need you to run a little errand for me."

Haruhi sighed, hating her uncle's stupid side-trips. "What kind of errand?"

"Oh, nothing too big of hassle, I just need you to keep an eye on a certain someone for me for today." Urahara said.

"And who would that be?"

Urahara held up a photo of a rather begrudging looking boy with orange hair wearing a local high school uniform.

"His name's Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Any particular reason as to why I need to keep an eye on him?"

"You'll know why once you see him."

"Yeah, yeah." Haruhi said, setting her bowl down and getting up to go to her room that was arranged by Tessai, and decorated by Tessai (which in the beginning was covered in a sickening sea of pink and frills, later changed to a more tranquil décor due to Haru's complaint), to change out of her pjs and into a pair of khaki shorts, a white t-shirt, and a black hoodie-jacket. When Haruhi was done dressing and returned to the living room, both Ururu and Jinta seemed excited about something.

"What's up?" Haruhi asked as she was slipping on her shinobi boots that she had refused to throw out (and thanks to Tessai again, were repaired like new).

"Next week's 'spontaneous trip' is coming to Karakura-cho!" Jinta said. Haruhi looked over her shoulder at the TV to see an old abandoned hospital.

"**Next week will be an emergency live broadcast special! We'll be visiting an abandoned hospital in Karakura-cho, Tokyo!"**

"Huh?"

"Have a good day keeping an eye on carrot-top, nee-chan." Ururu said, as she, Tessai, Urahara, and Jinta were seeing Haruhi off.

"And I've made you a special lunch today, so be sure to eat it all." Tessai said, "You'll need your strength to fight off all those delinquents on the streets who try to make a pass at you. Plus, you're much too skinny for your age. Men like women with a bit of meat on their bones."

"Uh, right." Haruhi said with a sweat-drop, taking the wrapped bento and walking off, readjusting the strap of her hidden pouch that contained her shinobi gear. "Later."

Haruhi had maintained her ninja stealth, having found her target easily as he was on his way to school. She kept to the rooftops, staying out of sight. Urahara had been right in saying that she would know the reason why she had to keep an eye on him, he exuded a great amount of reiki for a human, which made him an easy target for Hollows.

But the girl who walked with Ichigo to school, she, too, had great amounts of reiki, but not as much as Ichigo. On top of that, Haruhi had a gut feeling that the girl with Ichigo wasn't human. Also, that girl seemed to have noticed Haruhi's presence but did not let Ichigo know about it.

She'd have to get a closer look.

School, as Haruhi rediscovered, was incredibly dull. And much longer than the Academy back in Konoha, where most of the lessons were outdoors. She also found it to be quite sad that the students were not all in pique physical condition and had the reflexes of a lame cow. And their studies always took place in a classroom with boring non-stop lectures. How any of these student endured it was lost on Haruhi.

But, as the day went into the early afternoon was when the first Hollow made itself present and Haruhi merely stayed on the sidelines as she watched Ichigo (in his shinigami form) and the girl, run out of the school towards the Hollow.

It was a pitiful display of a fight as Ichigo showed that he had no skill when it came to handling his over-sized zanpakutou or even controlling his reiki while in the heat of battle. And the longer Haruhi watched, the more she understood about her little "errand."

This Kurosaki Ichigo needed training or else he would end up dead.

The next Wednesday night, Ichigo slinked after his family to the "Spontaneous Location" for the Don Kanonji shooting. He felt like an idiot for showing up when he said he wasn't going.

"You came!" Both Keigo and Mizuiro said together, pointing at Ichigo.

"Shut up! I'll mangle you both!" Ichigo said in irritation.

"Kurosaki-kun!" came a feminine voice, getting the boy's attention as he turned around to see Orihime. "Sorry about the other day." she said.

"For what?" Ichigo asked.

"Tatsuki told me you hate this show, I didn't know."

"Oh, that? Don't worry, it's nothing." Ichigo said, "Keigo and Mizuiro know I hate it too, but they still…"

"But…you came anyway. Why?"

"Um…Yuzu and my dad are big fans." Ichigo pointed over to where his father and sister were, doing the pose of Don Kanonji.

"And that's why you came? Even though you hate it?" Orihime asked.

"Huh? I couldn't let them come alone."

Orihime smiled thoughtfully. "You're very thoughtful, Kurosaki-kun."

"I am? It's nothing." Ichigo said awkwardly.

"I guess you're right. It's nothing."

As Orihime left to find Tatsuki, Ichigo had nothing to do but look around. "Look at all these losers gathering here. Don't they have lives? That's what the TV guys will think. Darn it."

"C'mon, Ichigo. Cheer up!" said Rukia from behind, doing the pose and laugh.

_You, too?_ Ichigo thought darkly.

"Hey, why the face?" Rukia asked.

"What face? It's my everyday face!"

"You're here now, so you might as well enjoy yourself. You must be tired from school and shinigami work. Take this opportunity to unwind!" said Rukia, "Anyway, what's this festival about?"

"You came here without the slightest clue?" Ichigo yelled.

"Why do I have to come along? I hate this show." Haruhi said in distaste as she followed Urahara and Tessai to the "Spontaneous Location". Plus Ururu was holding her hand and she knew the girl wasn't going to let go.

"Because, Haru-chan, it's good to go out once in awhile and have fun as one big happy family." Urahara said flippantly. "And Ururu-chan and Jinta-kun wanted to go."

"You're just using them as an excuse to see for yourself if this guy's a fake or not." Haruhi mumbled.

"Hey, Ururu! Quit acting like a baby by holding nee-san's hand all the time when we go out! It's embarrassing!" Jinta said from Haruhi's right side.

"But I like holding nee-chan's hand when we go out." Ururu said innocently.

"That's because you're such a big baby!" Jinta said.

Haruhi, knowing what Jinta really wanted since her own sister acted like this too, held out her hand to Jinta, who looked up at her questioningly. Haruhi smiled warmly at him, "You want to hold my hand, too, Jinta-kun?"

Jinta's cheeks flushed and turned his gaze downward and fell silent, but took Haruhi's offer and held her hand as they continued walking.

"See, you like holding nee-chan's hand, too." Ururu said.

"Shut up!" Jinta scuffed, his face turning redder.

Urahara smiled behind his fan. _Kids can be cute._ he thought.

_**AHHHH! AHHHH!**_

"Who's screaming?" Haruhi wondered as they spotted the abandoned hospital where a huge crowd stood behind yellow tape.

"That's the cry of a jibaku." Urahara said over his shoulder.

"So then there is one here. I'm guessing it hasn't become a hollow yet." Haruhi said.

"That's right, it's still a ghost attached to this world. Its harmless." said Urahara.

_Harmless? Yeah, I'll say it's harmless. It's just as harmless as that charlatan._ Haruhi thought as she scanned the crowd and spotted Ichigo and Rukia. _Wonder if they're here on business?_

"Is something the matter, nee-chan?" Ururu asked, looking up at the older girl.

"No, nothing at all." Haruhi said, smiling down at Ururu.

"Hey! The show's about to begin!" Jinta said excitedly.

"**SPIRITS ARE ALWAYS WITH YOU!" **screamed Kanonji as he came free-falling towards the crowd from the sky, releasing a parachute. The crowd all cheered and hollered.

"How lame." Haruhi drawled when suddenly a jolt went through her. _What the hell was that?_ she wondered, looking over her shoulder, finding nothing. _That was…that was chakra I just felt…it couldn't be…_

"This guy is such an amateur. He has no idea what he's doing." said Jinta.

"Shush and enjoy the show." said Tessai.

"Can we go closer?" Ururu asked, releasing Haruhi's hand and tugged at Urahara's jacket.

"I suppose so." Urahara said, moving forward with the kids and Tessai. Haruhi stayed back, or more like, slipped away to search for that chakra signature.

_Weird…I could've sworn it came from around here._ Haruhi thought, stepping away from the site to where it was hardly crowded. _Maybe it was just my imagination getting the better of me? I have been feeling anxious lately._

"Looking for me?" came a smooth, velvety voice that was laced with a dark tone. Haruhi's eyes widened as she whipped around to see Uchiha Sasuke standing only two feet behind her.

Haruhi stared wide-eyed at the now taller, older, and most definitely stronger Uchiha Sasuke. Her surprise in seeing the deserter was evident in her expression. She was even more surprised in seeing him wearing normal street clothes that other people their age in Karakura-cho wore. Blue jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt and tennis shoes. He was obviously wearing those clothes to blend in.

"It's been awhile." Sasuke said.

"Why are you here?" Haruhi asked coldly.

"I could ask you the same thing, _Hokage-sama._" Sasuke drawled.

"Are you here on Orochimaru's order?"

A pause.

"What if I were to tell you that I've killed Orochimaru?" Haruhi's eyes widened, "What if I were to tell you I'm now the leader of a new organization? What if I were to tell you I saw Naruto and Sakura after they infiltrated into Orochimaru's hide out a year ago?"

Haruhi's eyes slightly widened a fraction more. _Tsunade allowed them to take such a mission?_ "What if I were to tell you that I plan to use this town as my new base?"

Haruhi's eyes narrowed. "Well, they'd have trouble pointing you out in a large crowd." she said sarcastically. "But you will stick out like a sore thumb in a town like this."

"As will you if you aren't too careful. Of course, I was surprised at first to find _you_ of all people in this town. Although I shouldn't be so surprised after what happened last year."

"Yeah, and I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't bring that up." Haruhi said, relaxing her posture by putting a hand on her hip and scratching the back of her head, her eyes turned to the direction of the night's festivities.

Sasuke took in Haruhi's appearance. Her hair had certainly gotten longer, reaching down to the small of her back, and the last few years since leaving the village have definitely been good to her. Her figure was still very slim, but Sasuke could see the wiry muscles flexing with her every movement. Obviously she's been keeping up with her daily training.

All in all, she was now pleasing to the eye (despite the lack of full womanly curves).

And this young woman was almost his…

"So tell me, Sasuke," Haruhi began, "Did you get the power you wanted?"

Sasuke allowed a ghost of a smirk to appear on his lips. "You want to see first-hand?" he asked in a blasé attempt to provoke Haruhi as he slowly circled her. "I haven't fought anyone who could pose as a real challenge for me yet. And I've wanted to fight you after seeing your power during the Dark Tournament."

"Take a number; you aren't the first to ask me for a fight." Haruhi said.

"Are you scared? Is that why you wear a rosary around your right wrist?" he asked. Haruhi froze, feeling him pressed behind her, his hand lightly touching the rosary bracelet.

Haruhi turned sharply to face Sasuke, but found that he had disappeared. _He's gone…_ she thought. "The nerve of that jerk." _But still…he knew the purpose of the rosary. Well anyhow, his chakra signals have vanished._ Haruhi looked back at the crowd, _And it looks like things are starting to get interesting._

Haruhi walked back into the rowdy crowd towards the front where she found Urahara and everyone standing idly by while things unfurled in the center.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"He's opening the hole in the Jibaku's chest." Ururu said with a hint of panic.

"But doesn't he know that doing something like that only speeds up the process of turning him into a Hollow?" Haruhi asked.

"Of course not." Urahara said.

"STOP!" Ichigo yelled, leaping over the yellow tape to stop Kanonji from creating a Hollow but was pummeled down by security guards. "Let go of me! If you don't, something terrible is gonna happen!"

"Shut up, kid!" one of the guards said.

"Ichigo! Come here! I'll change you into a shinigami!" Rukia said, putting on her glove but was also stopped by guards. "Let me…GO!"

"Rukia! What're you doing? Shake them off and get over here!" Ichigo yelled.

"What? Why don't you shake them off! You're a guy, aren't you?" Rukia shouted back.

"C'mon! You've only got two on you! Look at all these gorilla's on me!"

The hole in the ghost's chest was almost completely exposed.

"ICHIGO!"

"I know! Let me go, damn it!" Suddenly, out of nowhere, Ichigo felt a jab at the back of his head and rolled out of his body. "Ow!…who did that?" he wondered, rubbing his head.

Rukia's eyes widened at the sight of Urahara Kisuke and Tessai. "Urahara?"

"Hi-ya!" Urahara greeted, waving his fan at them.

"Hat-n-clogs? What're you doing here?" Ichigo asked in bewilderment, then spotted Haruhi beside Urahara, staring straight at him. "Who is…?"

"Yo," Haruhi replied in a cool manner.

"Y-you can see me?" Ichigo asked.

"C'mon, we'll talk later. Go get him, Kurosaki." Urahara said.

"O-oh, yeah!" Ichigo stuttered, suddenly remembering the reason he was in his shinigami form.

"Why are you here, Urahara-san?" Rukia asked suspiciously, "Are you up to something crooked?"

"Please! I'm not up to anything, I swear!" Urahara said, returning to his flippant way. "You see, these kids really love the show. They just had to be here tonight. So I grudgingly brought them." he said, patting both Ururu and Jinta on the head. "And lo and behold, I hear your scream from far away."

"Hey! I didn't scream!" Rukia said in irritancy.

"Ji-san…" Haruhi began, noticing a few security guards coming their way.

"And when I got here, to my astonishment…"

"Hey, you!"

Urahara looked over his shoulder at the guard. "Yes?" he asked.

"Do you know these kids?" the guard asked, pointing at both Rukia and the uninhabited body of Ichigo. "I'd like a word with you over here, right now."

"Huh…no…um…" Urahara said, just as a small bomb exploded at their feet, knocking the guards out as Urahara and his group, along with Rukia, made their escape.

"You _idiot_! You can't use Seireitei equipment like that!" Rukia yelled.

"I had no choice! I can't get mixed up in your mess and end up in jail!" Urahara said with an amused grin on his face.

"Moron! You butted into this on your own!" Haruhi yelled.

"Haru-chan, why don't you go help Kurosaki-kun?" Urahara suggested once they had stopped running and relocated in a different section within the crowd. The ghost had long ago disappeared, and already its soul particle was gathering up.

"Why? It's not like I got myself involved, I didn't even want to come here tonight." Haruhi said, but sighed as she flashed out of sight and landed on the roof of the hospital.

Urahara had a knowing smile tugging his lips. "She can be such a brat at times, but she knows how to get a job done. Just like her mother."

"Urahara-san…who is that girl?" Rukia asked quietly.

"Heh. We'll discuss it later." Urahara said soberly.

"Ah! She's not your mistress, is she?" Rukia said.

"What kind of person do you take me for?" Urahara asked, as he sweat-dropped.

"Wh-why are you running, boy? Let me go!" Kanonji said while Ichigo was running away from the Hollow, dragging Kanonji behind him.

"You told me to run!" Ichigo said.

"N-no! I didn't mean…I told _you_ to run! But not with me!" Kanonji screamed, "I—I cannot run away!"

Ichigo yanked Kanonji over his head, throwing the man to the end of the hall, finally fed up with him.

"That does it! You keep saying 'I cannot run away!' What the heck does that mean? How come I can run, but not you? Explain yourself!" Ichigo yelled in clear irritation with the man.

"I'll throw that same question back to you, boy!" Kanonji said.

"**I'm asking the questions right now!**" Ichigo yelled.

"Very well." Kanonji conceded.

"You must have some reason for saying it. Why can't you run away?" Ichigo asked again.

"Well…it's because…I am a hero!" Kanonji said in a way he thought was "cool." Ichigo just stared at him like he was some kind of moron. "Yes…While by nature, I am a man who abhors conflict, I am also a hero, so I cannot show my back to any enemy."

"He's a real piece of work, ain't he?" Haruhi practically stated in a sarcastic tone, surprising Ichigo as he turned around to stare at her.

"You again? Wh-what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Urahara told me to help you out." Haruhi said in a bored manner, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"Urahara…? Wait! You can see me?" Ichigo asked in surprise.

"Yes, of course I can. I'm not blind to the spiritual world, just so you know." Haruhi said.

"I cannot run away from the enemy, not with those children watching." Kanonji said, turning around. "C'mon, let's hurry back to the battle-zone and fight that monster!"

"Are you crazy! We can't do that!" Ichigo yelled, grabbing Kanonji's jacket.

"Why not? I can't fight here where there's no TV cameras! Let me go!"

"If we fight near that crowd, people could get hurt! That wouldn't be very hero-like!" Ichigo said, "Doesn't a hero protect his fans?"

"That thing is a Hollow—" Haruhi began, stepping up to stand next to Ichigo. "It eats souls with high reiki. It's drawn to souls of people like us. That Hollow will follow our energy into this hospital. And if we fight in here, nobody but us can get hurt."

"Kids, you're amazing…you thought all of that through while you fought." Kanonji said, as the floor beneath them rose and cracked as the Hollow emerged. Both Ichigo and Haruhi jumped away in time. Haruhi pushed Kanonji back while Ichigo pulled out his zanpakutou.

"Here he comes!" Ichigo said, raising his zanpakutou up to strike, only to stop as he realized that his zanpakutou was too big to swing around in the hall as it got stuck in the ceiling.

_I'm screwed!_ Ichigo thought as the Hollow creped forward.

"O-okay…c'mon! I'll kick you to death!" he said.

"You're such a dunce." Haruhi said, knocking the Hollow back with a swift kick. The Hollow shook off Haruhi's kick as it came back, but was stopped by Kanoji, holding it back with his staff.

"Kanonji! No! You can't beat a Hollow, run!" Ichigo said.

"Forget it, let him be stupid on his own." Haruhi said.

"I know. Though I do have a little power, I make it a point to assess my enemies very carefully. But you see, my boy…I was deeply moved by your selfless act. Though no one may ever know it, you fight with the safety of the public in mind…your struggle is truly worthy of being called heroic! Allow me to call you both my comrades."

"Um…no…thanks…" both Haruhi and Ichigo said together.

"And comrades, as my final act, let me fall like a leaf in autumn protecting you!" Kanonji lunged forward at the Hollow. "Kanonji-style: Ultimate Secret Principle!"

"Even his attack names are lame." Haruhi muttered.

"Cannon ball!" Kanonji said, creating a small, ping-pong ball sized sphere of energy in his hand.

"What? What is that? You really think you can kill a Hollow with that?" Ichigo asked skeptically. "Nah, even you wouldn't be…" Ichigo stopped when Kanonji pointed the ball of energy at him. "Huh? What is that? What d'you think you're…"

"…destroy!"

The ball slowly flew towards Ichigo, curving upward towards the ceiling and exploding on impact, freeing his zanpakutou.

"Good job, Kanonji! Now leave the rest to me!" Ichigo said, charging towards the Hollow as it swiped Kanonji aside. Ichigo thrust his zanpakutou into the Hollow's shoulder, unable to slice it's head in the narrow hallway. Without warning, Haruhi came up behind him and kicked the Hollow through the wall with Ichigo being pulled after it.

"Wa-wait! Hey!" he called as they smashed through the wall.

"Oops, sorry about that." Haruhi said, though she hardly cared whether Ichigo heard her or not.

"T-TOO HIGH!" Ichigo screamed, looking down at the crowd. The Hollow climbed up to the roof with Ichigo still hanging onto him by his sword where he was then flung off of him. Quickly, he got onto his feet and charged the Hollow.

"I'm tougher than you think! The last place was too small, plus I had to protect Kanonji, so I couldn't really fight! But now that he's not here, you're toast!" Ichigo said, when suddenly the door to the roof opened up to reveal Kanonji.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, boy!" Kanonji said.

_He's here!_ Ichigo thought darkly. "Run, Kanonji!"

"Un…Unfortunately…right now…I can barely stand up!" Kanonji admitted, showing his shaking knees.

_Then why'd you come up here?_ Ichigo wanted to yell.

"Stay down and out of the way if you're going to be useless." Haruhi said, pushing Kanonji aside as she walked out onto the roof. "Heads up, Kurosaki!"

"Crap!" Ichigo said, blocking the Hollow's attack. "It's all over." With one fell swoop, he destroyed the Hollow.

"Bravo!" Kanonji cheered, jumping up in joy, "You are indeed my…"

"Don't jump for joy too much." Haruhi said calmly.

"Wh…why? What are you saying? He defeated the monster! Why aren't you both happy?" Kanonji asked, unable to understand the concept. He fell silent when he saw the Hollow's mask chipping away, revealing the spirit he thought he had exorcised. "What's happening?"

"I told you. It wasn't a monster. It's called a Hollow." Ichigo said, looking back at the man while Haruhi stepped forward towards the soul. "Some spirits have chains attached to them. When they tear free, a hole is left in their chests. Then they become irrational monsters…Hollows."

"But…I thought…By opening the hole and breaking the chains, I was freeing them…oh, no…" Kanonji dropped to his knees. "Then…everything I've done…"

"I don't know why, but the spirits that exploded in front of you didn't become Hollows, right?" Haruhi asked, "This time was different. You didn't know anything about Hollows, did you? I'm not saying you did the right thing, but feeling bad now won't help."

"But…I was foolish…" Kanonji sniffled, sobbing into the back of his sleeve.

"Hey…no more tears…hero." Ichigo said, looking over the railing. "Your public is waving to you." Kanonji stood up and looked over the railing himself, hearing the cheers from the massive crowd below. "Go on, wave to them. That's what a hero does, right?"

"Bo…**BOHAHAHAHA!"** Kanonji was touched by the response he received as his fans mimicked him. "Boy…thank you…It was such a splendid fight. I honor you…your courage, your quick thinking and your strength. Please keep lending me your help." he turned around to give Ichigo a hand shake.

Skeptically, Ichigo reached out and shook Kanonji's hand. "Well…I wasn't the only one—" Ichigo looked over his shoulder to find that Haruhi had disappeared. _Crap! She left me alone with this jerk!_ he thought.

"From this day forth, you shall be my number one disciple!"

Ichigo froze like a statue at those words.

_Have I been…__**DEMOTED?**_

_Like I said…it's pretty boring here._


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Haruhi walked down the hallway of the freshman class, passing gawking students as she casually made her way into class 1-B. Entering the room, she bypassed the chattering students and walked straight towards where Kurosaki Ichigo sat, who was ignoring his friend's chattering. She sat on his desk, crossing her knees, and leaned in toward Ichigo's face until they were a breath away, making the students all stare and Ichigo blush from the base of his neck to the top of his head.

Her slender fingers caressed the side of his face down to slightly lift his chin. "Meet me in the park at midnight tonight." she said in a sultry voice before leaning away, uncrossing her knees, and standing up to walk back pass the gawking freshmen.

"Whoa! Ichigo! Why didn't you tell me you were dating an older woman?" said Keigo, as he began to over exaggerate like always. "You could've introduced us!"

Ichigo, still blushing profusely, couldn't hear Keigo's exclamations as he sat stiff, staring ahead of him. _Wh—what the hell? She didn't have to make it look so—and in front of my classmates, too!_ Ichigo thought in a panic.

"What does Urahara's niece want with you?" Rukia asked from behind Ichigo, making him jump out of his skin.

Wait…

"Urahara? You mean Mr. Geta-boushi? That's his niece?" Ichigo asked, looking back at Rukia to see a serious, contemplating look on her face.

"But it's strange…if she's really his niece, then why can't I sense her ki?" Rukia wondered. Ichigo looked out the window, wondering to himself whether he should meet his senpai on the roof. Especially after that little…_provocative_ display.

That night, Ichigo had left his house to meet with Haruhi in the park. Rukia, not at all trusting of Haruhi, tagged along with Ichigo. They found Haruhi sitting upon the memorial bench of some deceased person who had died tragically twenty years ago. She was alone.

"Good, you came." Haruhi said, standing and taking a few steps closer to Ichigo and Rukia and stopped half way towards them. "I've got a few questions to ask, and I bet you have a few of your own. So I'll start: Where did you get your shinigami powers from? Her?" she asked, pointing her chin at Rukia's direction.

"Huh? Wait a sec! First of all, how do you know about shinigamis, and second, what the hell were you thinking coming up to me the way you did, you perv? You gave my classmates the wrong impression! They think we're having some secret affair or something!" Ichigo berated.

"Yade, yade, ji-san was right…getting a straight answer from you this way will be hard." Haruhi sighed.

"And another thing: Rukia said you aren't what you seem to be. Just who the hell are you? What's your purpose for being here?" Ichigo asked seriously. Haruhi gave a faint, amused smile before vanishing from Ichigo's vision.

"Ichigo! Look out!" Rukia called out in warning.

Ichigo's eyes widened when he was suddenly on his back, with Haruhi pinning him down, holding a kunai to his throat.

"Kuuchiki Rukia, that's her name, right?" Haruhi inquired as if Rukia wasn't there as she cast a shadow over Ichigo, her long black hair creating a curtain around Ichigo's head. "I've heard a great deal about the Kuuchiki family and Seireitei. I've even been hearing about you, lately. Last night was our first real encounter, and from what I've been seeing I'd say you have no actual, _prior_, experience. Even the toddlers from my village have more skill than you do."

Ichigo's eyes were still wide, staring up at Haruhi.

"You have a lot of power, but you don't know how to control it. It's sad when you think about it. As harsh as it may seem, you still have no idea what you're doing."

"And…" Ichigo croaked, "What about _you_? What's your story?"

Haruhi's eyes were cold and void of emotion as she stared down at Ichigo, the kunai still at his throat. "We come from different worlds, you and I. You grew up knowing nothing about the supernatural plain, living a normal, carefree life. I grew up where as soon as a child can walk, they start training immediately to become a great shinobi. And unlike you, I had to _die_ to get to where I am now.

"Because of shinigamis, my life is far different from the other shinobis of my village. Because of shinigamis, I died years before my time and became Reikai's Spirit Detective. Because of shinigamis," her dark eyes flicked up to meet Rukia's violet ones, "my life became more complicated than it used to be."

"You were killed…by shinigamis…?" Ichigo asked in a shaky voice. "Why?" Haruhi returned her gaze down to Ichigo.

"I never said I was." Haruhi replied slowly, moving off of Ichigo. "But we're a lot alike, you and I. We're both set far apart from our peers."

Ichigo, who had already stood up by this time, was staring at Haruhi's back, not knowing what else to say to her.

"You've grown quiet." Haruhi said, turning to look at Ichigo. "I thought you had questions for me?"

"Are all shinigamis…bad?" Ichigo asked.

"…No. Urahara told me that Seireitei follows a complex constitution of laws and regulation that puts the captains and lieutenants in control of manipulating the ethics to their liking. In a way, like all politics, their system is corrupt." Haruhi said.

"How do you know Mr. Geta-boushi? Is he really your uncle?"

"…Yes."

"Who are you? Really?" Rukia asked.

"I am Urameshi Haruhi, the Spirit Detective of Ningenkai."

"Spirit Detective?" Ichigo repeated, confused about the title while Rukia stood frozen.

"Y-you're…her? You're the Spirit Detective?" Rukia stammered.

"What's a Spirit Detective?" Ichigo asked.

"A Spirit Detective goes out hunting demons and spirits who create mischief and havoc in the human world. They operate outside of Seireitei's jurisdictions and answer directly to Enma-sama himself, giving them a slightly higher status than even the captains of the Gotei 13." Rukia said, "But…why are you here in Karakura?"

Haruhi sighed and scratched the back of her head. "Jeez, now I know how my sensei's all felt. I'm here to simply get some much needed R-n-R, got it?"

"So you're just here on vacation?" Ichigo asked in a bland tone, his interest now somewhat deflated. "Why not just go someplace more exotic like Tahiti or something?"

"Because I'm not a big fan of traveling." Haruhi said flatly, "So tell me, Ichigo, how long have you been able to see spirits?"

That question caught Ichigo off guard for a moment before he answered. "Ever since I can remember… I've been able to see ghosts and other weird stuff like that. But I mostly kept it to myself."

"Are you able to sense them? Touch them, even?"

"Yes, but I've always avoided them."

"What are your thoughts on the misguided spirits who become classified as violent apparitions?"

"I wouldn't know."

"I see…you don't really have a straight answer for that just yet."

"What about you?"

Haruhi paused for a moment, remembering when she had become a ghost herself years ago, and how she had encountered so many unexplainable things since then. "I've always been aware of the supernatural, and at first, I didn't know what to do about it. It used to scare me, and I would always take my grandmother's advice on how to ward off and trick the spirits. Eventually, I learned to turn it into a game and I wasn't scared anymore. But now…now I have a deeper understanding. Many are simply lonely and more than often become bitter towards the people who cannot see or hear them.

"I've learned how to help spirits, even purify their souls so that they can finally be at peace. It's true that I work outside of Seireitei's laws, but it doesn't mean that we have completely opposite ideals. We both purify souls and work hard to keep the balance between Ningenkai and Reikai, but that's about it when it comes to similarities. My job is a little more complicated as I have to work as an ambassador, or something along that occupation. It's tiring and also stressful since I don't get along with any of the shinigamis whom I've met. Nor do they like me.

"But in the end, we each have our understandings of each other's jobs, and we each keep it from crossing paths as best as we can. And hiding out here, I'm less likely to be found by Reikai or anybody else."

"So in other words you're just here to slack off." Ichigo said bluntly, hitting a nerve in Haruhi.

"That's not what I said, idiot! Didn't you hear me?" Haruhi replied back, aggravated by Ichigo's nerve. "It's no wonder you can't wield your zanpakutou properly, you don't listen!"

Now it was Ichigo's turn to be aggravated. "You've got some nerve asking me out here to only give me a boring story and then an insult all in just five minutes!"

"Oh yeah? Well, an ignorant punk like you deserves to be insulted since nothing can through that thick skull of yours!"

"Well excuse me for being an ignorant punk! I didn't ask for this, y'know!"

"Guys, guys, break it up!" Rukia said, trying to get in the middle of Haruhi and Ichigo to put some distance between them. But what broke up the bickering was the howl of a Hollow.

"Let me show you why there's a difference between me and shinigamis." Haruhi said.

Taking the lead, Haruhi was the first to arrive upon the scene of a Hollow chasing after a spirit of a lost soul. And as soon as Ichigo and Rukia caught up, Ichigo was floored by what he saw. No zanpakutou, no incantation, no nothing as Haruhi defeated the Hollow with just a single mighty punch from her right fist to the skeletal mask, splitting it in two, killing the Hollow successfully. Kurosaki Ichigo was then faced with an ugly truth…he was nothing more than an imitator, a fraud, only a pretender dressed up like a shinigami. He had been childish to think that he was skilled enough to protect Karakura on his own.

"You see now, Kurosaki Ichigo? The difference between you and I and a shinigami?" Haruhi asked, turning around to look back at Ichigo. "Run around, swinging that sword of yours for as long as you like, sooner or later someone else will come and show you that you're just a wet-nosed punk."

That night, Ichigo lay in his bed, unable to sleep as he continued to think of what he witnessed in the park. Rukia had tried to reassure him that Spirit Detectives were in a different class than shinigamis and that he had nothing to worry about, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was nothing more than an imposter. A total poser. He hated people like that and now he was something he despised.

He was coming to a fork in the road and though he would give anything to have his life return to normal, he knew deep in his heart that he could never return to how things were. Despite what he witnessed in the park, he was in too deep now to turn back.

"Are you still thinking about what happened today?" Rukia asked from Ichigo's closet.

"Am I nothing but a poser?" he asked.

Rukia took a moment before answering. "No, you are merely a substitute in my stead. You're more help than you think, so stop wallowing and simply move past it."

That was easier said than done and Ichigo, despite what Rukia said, still couldn't help but feel like having a pity party for himself.

Haruhi sat upon the roof of her uncle's shop/house, letting out a soft sigh and released a small amount of spiritual energy, specifically as a homing message to attract a certain someone's attention. It took about an hour until they finally came.

"You don't have to hide from me, I know you're there…Botan."

"Oh, I wanted to surprise you! How did you know it was me, anyhow?" the blue-haired grim reaper asked, floating down on her oar behind Haruhi. Haruhi turned around to face her friend with a warm smile.

"Because I specifically sent out my reiki to lead you here to me." Haruhi said.

Botan smiled genuinely at Haruhi. "You've gotten taller, Haru-chan…It's good to see you again."

"Likewise."

"I'm glad you sent for me, I've been itching to inform you of the current situation between the shinobi countries." Botan said, floating to Haruhi's other side.

"What situation? Is it serious?" Haruhi asked.

Botan nodded her head. "Very. From what I understand, there is tension revolving around the Fire Nation and its neighboring countries. Ever since word got out that you had left three years ago, rumors have been buzzing that: a country without a strong kage will be an easy target. Haru-chan…you're needed more than ever by your village. Tsunade-sama is doing her best, but her influence can only do so much."

"But, I can't go back…not yet." Haruhi said.

"_You_ were appointed as the fifth Hokage, Haru! You _have_ to do something!" Botan's voice then softened, "Everyone misses you, Haru-chan. Nothing's the same without you. Koenma-sama won't even find a new Spirit Detective because there's no one else who can compare to you."

"I'm sorry, Botan…Not yet."

"But—"

"Not yet."

Botan's eyes brimmed with tears from Haruhi's sudden distance. Despite how close she was, Botan could feel that her friend was miles away.

"It'll be hard for you but I need you to keep this quiet about where I am. I've got some business to take care of outside of Konoha and Reikai. You understand?"

Botan's oar vanished into thin air and she stood in front of Haruhi with her hands on her hips. "I'll keep quiet, Haru, only if I can stay here with you and make sure you don't get into too much trouble. As always."

"You're still as clingy as ever."

Urahara stared at the two girls sitting next to each other, Haruhi purposefully sitting between him and Botan. It was so sudden…A new member suddenly joined the Urahara Shoten who happened to be Haruhi's assistant, meaning she knew their Haru-chan very well.

Urahara opened his mouth to say something during this awkwardly silent meal (though he would bet money that no one noticed the awkwardness except him), but thought better of it and refocused his attention on his meal.

"So…" Jinta began, looking over the rim of his rice bowl at Botan, "How do you know nee-san?" he asked.

"I was assigned as Haru-chan's assistant when she became the Spirit Detective of Ningenkai." Botan answered happily.

"And gave me grief with every waking moment." Haruhi dead-panned.

"Hey! I did not!" Botan said, giving Haruhi an angry look.

"Kept bringing me stupid assignments from that toddler that any person with Reiki could have completed." Haruhi said.

"But Haru-chan, those cases were dangerous. Even _you_ had trouble with a few of them." Botan said.

"Yeah, but that was such a long time ago. I'm a lot stronger than I was back then."

_Haruhi seems more livelier than ever with this friend of hers here._ Urahara thought, finding the girls' little squabble amusing.

"What sort of cases did you do?" Jinta asked.

"Oh, you know, the usual." Haruhi said, brushing the subject away from her Spirit Detective days. Though Botan wasn't going to let it go that easily.

"Haru-chan used to capture demons that had escaped from Reikai and Makai. In fact, two of her teammates are convicted demon criminals." Botan said.

"Yeah, until Koenma bribed them to help me with the Four Saint Beasts case in exchange for cleaning their slates." Haruhi stated.

"And then became your closest allies. Honestly, Haru-chan! You haven't changed one bit!" Botan said.

"You're one to talk," Haruhi countered.

"Nee-chan," Ururu piped up, getting Haruhi's attention. "What do you plan to do for summer break?"

"Summer break?" Haruhi repeated, unfamiliar with the term as she looked to Botan who merely shrugged her shoulders.

"No plans, eh?" Urahara inquired with a smirk. "Then let's all go to the beach! And Haru-chan, I'll buy you and your cute friend bikinis for you both to w—" Urahara was cut off by Haruhi smashing her half-eaten bowl of rice into his face.

"Like hell I'd wear anything _you'd_ buy, geezer!" Haruhi yelled.

"Haru-chan, would you like me to set up a spare room for your friend?" Tessai asked, ignoring Urahara who was twitching on the floor.

"That's okay, Botan can bunk with me in my room. I've got plenty of space." Haruhi said.

"In that case I will take the privilege and buy some clothes for your friend to wear." Tessai said, his glasses catching the light in the room.

Haruhi sweat-dropped. "Clothes shopping…? Again?"

"Hai. I've noticed that your friend's body-build is much softer and curvier than yours. Finding clothes to accent her figure will be much easier than shopping clothes for you." At that, Botan joined Haruhi in sweat-dropping.

"Y-you're too kind." Botan said awkwardly.

"Where is the target axis?"

"It's not confirmed."

"Hello. Where are we being sent?"

"We're moving out. Release the hell butterfly."

"Capture or _kill…_This isn't a job for a shinigami is it?"

"It may be."

Botan had woken up during the night for one reason…to check if she was really sleeping next Haruhi. To check if this wasn't all just a dream. Even though it had been only two days, Botan couldn't help but to suddenly wake up in the middle of the night, for fear that Haruhi would be gone again.

The blue-haired, rosy-eyed Grim Reaper noticed that Haruhi was not beside her, causing the girl to sit up in a panic. She placed her hand on the spot where Haruhi had laid…it was still slightly warm. For a moment, Botan sat, concentrating on finding the other girl's spiritual energy that she knew so well, and sensed it coming from outside.

Botan quietly made her way outside and scanned the front lot with her eyes, not finding the Spirit Detective.

"You should go back to bed, it's late." Botan jumped slightly as she spun around and looked up to see Haruhi sitting on the roof. The soft light from the moon making her look majestic and mysterious at the same time. Botan put her hands on her hip and gave Haruhi a sassy look.

"You should talk. It's the middle of the night, Haru-chan. What are you doing up so late?" she asked.

"I couldn't sleep. Kept having this weird feeling like something's gonna happen." Haruhi said.

"Like what?"

"I'm not…all that sure just yet."

Botan considered Haruhi's words, but didn't second-guess or question her, knowing that Haruhi's instincts were sharp.

"All right, then, but don't stay up too late." Botan said before returning inside.

Days had gone by quietly and uneventfully since Botan arrived to the Urahara Shoten. Occasionally a demon would pass by, creating mischief, and Botan would nag Haruhi until she had no choice but to capture the demon to shut Botan up (of course, if Haruhi had it her way, she wouldn't lift a finger and merely let the demon have his fun until he got bored and moved on).

Of course, the only crisis that came and went was when Ichigo got dragged into a challenge by a classmate who knew his secret and baited hundreds of Hollows into the town, creating a game of whoever killed the most to be the superior fighter. Unfortunately, Botan was an easy target for the Hollows and Haruhi was busy keeping her assistant safe. By the end of the day, after Ichigo had defeated a Menos Grande together with the Quincy, Ishida Uryuu, Haruhi made a point of knocking them both over the head and calling them idiots for putting everyone in danger and then went home.

The next day Ururu and Jinta were outside, sweeping the front. Well…Ururu was, Jinta was swinging his broom around like a baseball bat.

"Jinta-kun, let's clean up…" Ururu said softly.

"Silence! Can't you see I'm busy practicing my sword-play?" Jinta said. Ururu sighed but then noticed a black cat. Ururu opened the front door where Urahara and Tessai were, and pointed towards the cat.

"Tessai-san, Urahara-san, a kitty." she said.

"Hey! Well, if it isn't Yoruichi-san! Welcome back!" Urahara said in a high, joyful tone, picking up the black cat.

"Hey, what's with the cat?" Jinta asked.

"That's Yoruichi-san. He's the Boss's best friend." Tessai said.

"Really? His best friend's a cat? Our boss is kinda…_pathetic._" Jinta said.

"Hmm, I can see how you might think that."

Haruhi was sitting under a tree with Botan, having lunch together in a local park. It was a warm sunny day, though it was much milder compared to summers in Konoha. It was very clear to Botan that peace suited Haruhi though at the same time it was odd to see the Spirit Detective look so relaxed and carefree. It was nice to see her friend look so unburdened, but it was obvious that she had a lot on her mind and a personal agenda that was not yet completed.

"Urameshi-san," Botan looked up while Haruhi just ignored. Rukia stood in front of them with a serious look on her face. Botan had tilted her head to the side at the sight of Rukia, since she knew no one aside from Haruhi. "My name is Kuchiki Rukia."

"Kuchiki? Ah! Do you mean you are a member of one of the four noble houses in Seireitei?" Botan asked.

"Hai, though I am not related by blood, I am only related by name as I was adopted by them." Rukia said.

"What do you want?" Haruhi asked, still not bothering to look up.

"I wanted to thank you for helping Ichigo yesterday." Rukia said.

"I didn't do anything." Haruhi said.

"Even if you weren't directly involved, I still want to thank you for everything you've done." Rukia said.

"Is that all?" Haruhi asked in bluntness.

"Hai, please, forgive me for imposing upon you like this." Rukia said, bowing in respect before leaving.

"Haru-chan, you could've at least acted more sincere when somebody thanks you." Botan said.

"I don't feel like being praised about anything, my ego is big enough as is." Haruhi said, laying on the grass that seemed less soft compared to the grass in Konoha. "By the way, isn't it almost that time of year again?"

"Hmm? What do you mean by that?" Botan asked.

"The rainy season has passed."

"Ahh, you mean _that_ time of year. Yeah, I suppose so."

Haruhi smiled as she and Botan packed up their picnic, though Botan forgot her hat and Haruhi had gone back to grab it. As Haruhi searched for Botan's hat where they had picnicked, she paused when she felt a familiar chakra and followed it into the forested hiking trail. She went off the path behind some trees, finding Uchiha Sasuke leaning against a tree, looking cool and unconcerned of the world. Botan's hat in his hand.

"Now you're following me?" Haruhi asked.

"On the contrary, wasn't it you who followed me?" Sasuke asked, raising a brow at her.

"What are you doing here in daylight? Aren't you afraid of bursting into flames and turning to ash?"

He scoffed at her. "You've been indulging in those stupid TV programs that my colleagues have been watching."

"Hey, when you're stuck in a house with two little brats, you get stuck doing the same thing with them sometimes." Haruhi said.

Silence followed, growing between them steadily before Sasuke spoke up. "It wasn't your fault with what had happened back then. It wasn't anyone's fault but Orochimaru's for infecting you with that illness. And also, if I hadn't gotten you away sooner, and had been able to detour around Hyuuga and his scouts, you would have been a mother by now."

"Sasuke…" Haruhi sighed tiredly, "It's fine. I've moved on from that."

"I haven't." Sasuke said, his eyes flashing the Sharingan as he approached Haruhi, standing directly in front of her. "Our child is dead, Haru! Aren't you angry about that?"

"Of course I'm angry!" Haruhi said, shoving Sasuke back. "I'm angry that I'm sick with an unknown illness with no known cure! I'm angry that I lost the baby! And I'm angry that you killed that bastard Orochimaru and not me!"

In a rare show of emotion, Sasuke pulled Haruhi to him, hugging her tightly.

And she hugged him back.

They were an odd pair. Neither of them knowing that things between them would become incredibly complicated. From being enemies to secretive lovers, their romantic rendezvous started when they had fatedly encountered each other after a snow storm in Rock Country, in a secluded cave within the mountainous region.

And after that, their meetings continued in secret until Orochimaru found out and after the incident, Haruhi left to Karakura to recover and grieve in silence while Sasuke sought out revenge against his psychotic mentor and then continued with his vengeance for his clan.

Now, again reunited, Haruhi couldn't help but feel like their meeting was on a downward spiral into further grief. But she couldn't deny what she was feeling towards Uchiha Sasuke, and that feeling was stronger than the one for Hyuuga Neji. In fact, these feelings might be close to love.

And it was dangerous.

"We can't see each other anymore." Haruhi said.

"I know." Sasuke said, "I won't abandon my ambition of avenging my clan, and you won't abandon your duties as Hokage. But I…"

"I know, you don't have to say it."

When both Haruhi and Botan returned from the park and were sitting around the table for an after-dinner tea, both Haruhi and Botan were staring at Urahara who was still talking to the cat, Yoruichi-san. Haruhi was resting her head on her hand, her elbow propped up on the table while Botan snacked on a rice cracker. Both girls still staring, not saying much.

"Nee-chan, would you and Botan-san like more tea?" Ururu asked.

"Yeah, sure." Haruhi said, "So…Urahara, what's with the cat?"

"This is Yoruichi, he's an old friend of mine. We go waaaaay back!" Urahara said with a flippant grin. Haruhi and Botan both sweat-dropped.

"You're kinda pathetic to have a cat for a friend." Haruhi drawled.

"I couldn't agree with you more." said Yoruihi.

Both Haruhi and Botan seemed to have turned to stone when the cat talked before suddenly backing up against the wall in shock.

"Th-Th-That cat! Did it just—did it just talk?" Haruhi stuttered, pointing at Yoruichi in disbelief.

"I-i-it's impossible!" Botan said.

"You girls seem surprised. Don't you have talking animals where you come from?" Yoruichi asked, but his question was ignored when he was suddenly being prodded by Haruhi and Botan.

"I've never seen a talking cat before." Botan said, "Have you, Haru-chan?"

"No. I mean, the Inuzuka clan have nin-dogs that eventually learn to talk, and even the animals of a summoning jutsu can talk, but that's all do to ninjutsu." Haruhi said, "I never thought I'd see a normal cat talk. Especially outside a ninja village."

"What about your Spirit Beast, Puu? Can't he talk?" Botan asked.

"Now that you mention it, I'm not really sure." Haruhi said.

"Do you girls mind?" Yoruichi asked, uncomfortable from the girls' poking and such.

"Sorry." they both said, dropping the cat.

"Now, for the reason why I have come here." Yoruichi began after Haruhi and Botan returned to their spots across the table. "Seireitei has sent two high-ranked shinigami officers here to the material world for the retrieval of one named Kuchiki Rukia."

"Whatever for?" Botan asked in concern.

"Who?" Haruhi asked, only to get smacked over the head by Botan. "What the hell was that for?" she yelled.

"You're such an idiot, Haru! Kuchiki Rukia is that shinigami girl that approached us in the park!" Botan yelled back.

"Oh yeah…what about her?" Haruhi said.

"I can't believe the village elders ever made an idiot like you Hokage." Botan said.

"Anyways," Yoruichi said, getting their attention again, "Because Rukia gave her shinigami powers to Kurosaki Ichigo, Seireitei sees it as a crime for exposing their world to this world and thus are planning to capture her and take her into custody."

"And we should care, because…" Haruhi trailed off, raising an eyebrow at Yoruichi.

"Because as Spirit Detective it is your duty to see that justice is delivered fairly_. _Rukia had saved the life of a human and in return he saved his family from a Hollow attack, not to mention he's been keeping the Hollow count down in this town—so in retro-spec, there is no true crime to her choice, but the verdict is clear to the Gotei 13 and they will see no other way around it." Yoruichi said.

"Big deal! Has anyone noticed that there's been an unusual amount of Hollow activity in this town to begin with. Also, how the hell—" Haruhi stopped abruptly when she sensed the reiatsu of two shinigamis within a two block radius from where she was. Haruhi stood up, trying to pinpoint the direction it was coming from.

"Haruhi, don't go thinking you could take on two high ranked officers. You may be a well-trained kunoichi, and you may be unmatched by many, but to go against a captain and lieutenant on your own is suicide." Yoruichi said.

"Haru," Botan said, knowing that nothing will stop the Spirit Detective.

Haruhi took several steps to the door when Yoruichi spoke again. "You'll get killed if you go up against them alone and unarmed."

Haruhi looked over her shoulder at Yoruichi and then at everyone before she looked back at the black cat. A cocky smile was on her face. "What's life without a little excitement? I'll be fine. I am the Spirit Detective of Ningenkai after all." she said, before leaving the house.

Botan smiled. _That's the Haru-chan I know!_ she thought happily.

"That girl is a fool." Yoruichi sighed.

"But she's our fool." everyone said together in unison.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

"See? What did I tell you?" boasted Abarai Renji, staring down at Uryuu who laid bleeding on the ground. Renji raised his zanpakutou high up. "Now, time to finish this. Reflect on your stupidity as you die. I'm Abarai Renji, the one who killed you! Nice to meet you!"

Renji suddenly stopped mid-swing when the ground beneath him cracked and split. Jumping to higher ground, he looked back to see who it was, finding a boy with orange hair, wearing a shinigami's shihakushou, wielding a gigantic zanpakutou.

"Who are you?" Renji demanded.

"I'm Kurosaki Ichigo! The man who's gonna beat you! Nice to meet you!" Ichigo said.

"Ichigo!" Rukia said, "You fool, why did you come?"

"I see, now I know who you are. You're the human who stole Rukia's powers!" Renji said.

"What're you gonna do about it?" Ichigo challenged.

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

Haruhi leapt across the rooftops of the buildings, her eyes narrowing. _The Quincy's reiatsu is fading. And Ichigo…he's in a fight with one of them._ Haruhi thought, picking up speed.

Renji's released sword sliced through Ichigo's shoulders, now making both his arms useless as he dropped to his knees.

"IT'S OVER, BOY! YOU LOST TO ABARAI RENJI! YOU'LL _**DIE**_ HERE!" Renji held up his sword as it returned to its original form. "Sorry, boy. You're just not in my class. The zanpakutou changes its size and shape according to the reiki of its weilder. This is the shape of my power. Goodbye, boy, it's nothing personal, but the air here doesn't suit me. I'd better finish this and we'll be on our way."

Rukia, without hesitating, jumped onto Renji's arm, preventing him from swinging his sword down on Ichigo.

"What're you doing, Rukia?" Renji asked in surprise. "Let go! You're only making it worse for yourself! Let go fool!"

"Get up and run, Ichigo!" Rukia shouted.

Ichigo gripped his sword, pulling himself up with his sword. "What? You can still move?" Renji said. Ichigo swayed forward and felt a hand on his chest, helping him gain his balance. He looked up to see Haruhi, staring at Renji.

"You again…?" Ichigo gapped.

"Stand down; you're in no shape to fight." Haruhi said, taking a step forward.

"Another one? Are you going to try and stop us, too?" Renji asked.

"Oh please, 'try'? Don't insult me." Haruhi said, holding up her right arm at Renji. "Why would I want to save a shinigami's life, anyway? Spirit Gun." A high blast of energy shot out from the tip of Haruhi's index finger. Her attack not only surprised Ichigo and Rukia, but the two shinigamis, too, as the blast passed right past Renji's head. "Don't lump me in with these punks."

"Who…who the hell are you?" Renji asked with wide eyes.

"I am Urameshi Haruhi, the fifth Hokage of Konoha, and Spirit Detective of Ningenkai. I'm the one who'll bring you to your knees. Nice to meet you." Haruhi said.

"Spirit Detective?" Renji repeated, "Meaning you work directly under Enma-sama himself?"

"That's right, and I've been itching for a good fight lately." Haruhi said.

"Wait." Ichigo said, making Haruhi look back at him. "He's mine."

"Are you an idiot? You're in no shape—" Haruhi was cut off by Ichigo, whose spirit energy suddenly spiked up as he caught Renji off guard by wounding his left shoulder with his zanpakutou.

_I see…he's like me._ Haruhi noted, _In a time of desperation he's able to tap into his spiritual reserves, having a boost of momentary power._ Haruhi looked past Ichigo and Renji over at the third party. _That man over there…he hasn't said or done anything, yet. Wait…_

"Ichigo!" Haruhi called, but was too late. The blade of Ichigo's Zanpakutou had been cut off.

Ichigo's eyes widened and looked ahead of him to see Byakuya holding the tip of his blade. _Was it him? No way! He couldn't have done anything from that distance!_ Ichigo thought. Then, before he knew what had happened, he was wounded, and falling.

"You're slow. Even to fall."

_He's fast!_ Haruhi thought, _I was able to see it all…but…Ichigo—he didn't stand a chance. Twice…that's how many times he struck Ichigo._

"Come now, we're leaving." Byakuya said, turning away.

"Hold it." Haruhi said. Byakuya stopped and looked back indifferently at her. "You're just gonna walk away after skewering a guy? You shinigamis disgust me."

"Shut your mouth, girl! Do you know who you're talking to?" Renji shouted.

"Renji, enough." Byakuya said, making Haruhi narrow her eyes. "Being brought back from the dead by Enma-sama must make you feel rather secure. To have someone whom not even us shinigamis can defy to be behind you with every action you take. You're either a blessed child or a cursed one, either way, your blood, is nothing but filth to us that must be thrown away with the rest of the trash."

Haruhi's fists clenched as she flickered out of sight and then reappeared in front of Byakuya, and without skipping a beat, punched him across the face with a sharp left hook, surprising the remaining people who were conscious.

_She…hit him…she hit nii-sama!" _Rukia thought in horror and astonishment as Byakuya staggered a bit, his eyes wide with shock.

_Th—that's…impossible! No one has ever been able to touch the captain, let alone hit him! This girl…she's no ordinary kid!_ Renji thought, as he glanced over at Ichigo's unmoving body. _Those two are alike. They're unpredictable._

"Ah, I remember you now," Haruhi said, cracking her knuckles. "You're one of the captains I saw when I had accompanied Koenma to Seireitei that one time."

Rukia suddenly ran up to Haruhi and pushed her away from Byakuya.

"Hey!" Haruhi scowled.

"How dare you lay a hand on my honorable brother!" Rukia yelled, "I don't care who you are or how strong you are! You're just a mere _human_! So know your place when in the presence of a noble!"

"Stay out of this! You're as good as dead anyways!" Haruhi yelled back, hitting a nerve in Rukia. "I don't really care what happens to you! All I care is that you arrogant shinigamis don't kill a human being."

"Renji, we're leaving." Byakuya ordered. Renji thrust out his zanpakutou and turned it like a key and a door materialized.

"You're running away now?" Haruhi sneered as the three shinigamis went through the door and disappeared. Haruhi clenched her fists at her side. If she were her younger, more irrational self, she would have ran after them and force the answer out without thinking of the possible danger. Yes…if she were more irrational now…

…But…

…In her current state…

"Ru…kia…" Haruhi turned around to look at Ichigo, still lying in his blood as rain began to fall. Softly at first, but then it quickly became a rain shower.

"Don't talk," Haruhi said softly, walking over to him and kneeling beside him, placing a hand over his back. A soft, golden glow began to emanate from Haruhi's hand, blanketing over Ichigo's fallen form as his wounds began to close. "You're lucky you aren't dead."

_It doesn't hurt._

_Uh-oh, am I finally dead?_

_Is that why the pain stopped?_

_But the cold I felt before is one. I feel…_

…_Kinda warm…_

…_warm…_

Ichigo slowly opened his eyes, and much to his surprise he saw Tessai's face hovering over his. He screamed out of pure reflex.

"A quick response! Very good!" Tessai said while Ichigo tried to push him away.

"Y-You're too close!" he yelled.

"Boss! Kurosaki-san is awake!" Tessai called.

"Hey, I've seen you before! You're one of Geta-boushi's people! What're you doing on top of me? Get off!" Ichigo flinched when he felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder. He sat up, gripping his bandaged wound and suddenly realized something. He wasn't dead.

"No, no, Kurosaki-san! Your wounds haven't fully healed yet." Ichigo looked up to see Urahara entering the room. "If you move around too much, you'll die. And all of Haru-chan's efforts would have gone to waste when she healed those fatal wounds of yours."

"Geta-boushi. Is this your house?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes."

"Did you…save me?"

"No. Haru-chan did. You should thank her the next time you see her."

"Hey! Uryuu was lying there, too! What happened to him? Is he here?"

"He went home. His wound bled a lot, but it wasn't severe. It would have taken him two days to die if we'd left him there. So Haru-chan's friend was able to heal him on the spot. He seemed worried when we were leaving. About you."

"Uryuu? Me? No way."

"I asked him to rest here but he refused, I guess it was out of pride. He wished you a swift recovery because you are the only one who can save Rukia."

"Me, huh?" Ichigo said, resting his arms on his raised knees. "What am I supposed to do? Rukia went back to the Soul Society! How am I supposed to get there? How can I save her? No way! I can't do it!"

"Do you really think there's no way to get to the Soul Society?" Urahara asked. Ichigo looked up at him in desperate hope.

"Well, is there?" he asked, suddenly getting onto his feet. "How? How can I get there? Tell me!"

"I'll tell you, under one condition. For the next ten days you must allow me to train you." Urahara said.

"_You're_ gonna teach _me_ how to fight? There's no time for that! Who knows when they might decide to kill Rukia? Right now, we gotta—"

"You don't understand." Urahara said, suddenly pinning Ichigo on his back, his cane held above him. "What I'm trying to tell you is, they _will_ kill you. Could you win? If you fought them again, as you are now? I allowed you to fight them this time because I thought it would make it easier for you to understand. That's also why Haruhi was there, to show you the difference between you, her, and the shinigamis."

_What's this…sensation? Like the point of a sword hovering over me._ Ichigo thought.

"At your current level of ability, you wouldn't stand a chance in Seireitei. You're weak. For you to venture into enemy territory now would be suicide. _You_ want to save Kuchiki-san? Don't make me laugh. **Don't use her as an excuse to kill yourself.**" Urahara stood up and made his way towards the door. "Seireitei generally waits one month before executing a kyokushuu. That should hold true for Kuchiki-san, as well. Ten days to abuse you, seven days to open the gates to Seireitei, and thirteen days for you to save her. We have plenty of time."

"Can I get strong enough, in just ten days?"

"Of course. If you wish to save Kuchiki-san with your whole heart, then you have at your disposal a power stronger than iron. But if your resolve is half-hearted, forget it. For the next ten days, I'm going to put you through the wringer."

"Well, if I don't do this, there's nobody else who can, right? All right. Let's do it!"

Outside the room, Haruhi was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed and a serious face on, listening in on the conversation. Botan was crouched right beside her, still uncomfortable to not be with Haruhi.

"Botan," Haruhi began softly, but firmly.

"Hai?" Botan perked.

"I need you to bring a few people here."

Botan stood up and looked at Haruhi curiously, "Like who? Your teammates?" she asked.

"Not exactly. Bring Kuwabara, definitely, but also I'll need you to go to Makai and bring Touya and Hokashin." Haruhi said, "I'll explain why once they're here. Don't let anyone in Konoha see you."

"Hai!"

Just after Botan disappeared, Urahara stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. And without looking at Haruhi, he spoke. "The time has come. Will you help Ichigo save Kuchiki Rukia, or will you go off on your own quest?"

"We both know the answer to that." Haruhi said.

"Be forewarned, Haruhi, you may be strong for a human, but to enter the Soul Society while still in your human body is dangerous. The strain it'll put on your body could lead to catastrophic results. You may end up damaging your physical _and_ spiritual body permanently."

"I know that, but…" Haruhi's hands balled up tightly, "I have some unfinished business to attend to there."

Urahara stared at Haruhi from the corner of his eye, knowing what she meant by her "business." To be young, rambunctious, and thirsty for revenge…ah, to be young again. Urahara couldn't help but smile in mild amusement.

"It doesn't matter what I say, since you're just as stubborn as your mother. You and Atsuko…the resemblance is uncanny." Urahara turned to smile at his niece. "Except for the eyes…you have your father's eyes."

"Kaa-chan says the same thing to me and nii-san."

"Ah, yes. Susumu…he's very much like Shinobu in his Spirit Detective days, but you have been more successful at the job than your father. He'd be proud to see you now."

Haruhi smiled softly, "How much do you know about tou-san?"

"I've got a lot of stories to share, and I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to reminisce later."

"Yeah."

"_Matteyo, mina!" called out a twelve-year-old girl with curly red hair, running to catch up to her cell team._

"_You're too slow, Satsu-chan!" called back another twelve-year-old girl with black hair that reached the nape of her neck._

"_Sensei, why are we even out here? Why not take the main road, it'll be quicker." said a third twelve-year-old girl with straight brown hair._

"_Taking this scenic route is good practice for when you want to use the terrain to your advantage when in battle." said Anko, "Haru! Satsu! Quit lagging behind you two!"_

"_Hai!" the two girls replied, catching up in seconds._

_Haruhi stopped and looked back after hearing a strange sound. But there was nothing there._

_Strange._

"_Haru-chan! We're going to leave you behind if you don't hurry!" called the red-haired girl._

"_Don't get your panties in a twist, Kana, I'm coming!" Haruhi said, leaping to her teammate's side, missing the shadow that loomed over the spot she was at._

_As Team Anko sped through the forest, jumping off tree branches, Haruhi couldn't help but continue to look back every so often, causing worry in her teacher._

"_Haru, what's the matter?" Anko asked, after slowing her pace to be beside her student._

"_I feel like we're being followed." Haruhi said._

_Anko gave her a strange look and glanced behind them, seeing nothing. "You're probably just anxious to get home." she reassured before taking the lead again._

_Haruhi doubted she was anxious about returning home._

_Suddenly, a monster with a strange skeletal mask appeared through the trees, biting down on Kana, her blood spraying out in all directions. Haruhi, Satsu and Anko all stopped and leapt away and regrouped on the ground. A look of horror was on all of their faces._

"_Kana-chan!" Satsu screamed as the monster swallowed their teammate whole._

"_Look out!" Anko shouted, grabbing both girls around the waist and jumping out of the way onto a high branch._

"_Sensei, what is that thing?" Haruhi asked, staring wide-eyed at the beast that devoured her teammate._

"_It—it ate Kana-chan!" Satsu cried hysterically._

"_Girls, listen to me carefully!" Anko said, grabbing the girls by their shoulders and forcing them to look at her. Fear in their eyes. "I want you two to stay together and run as fast as you can to the village. Once there, you go get help."_

"_Sensei! Wh-what about you?" Satsu asked, tears streaking her face._

"_I'll stay here and try to divert it's attention while you two get away. No go!" Anko ordered. Haruhi and Satsu hurriedly sped off towards Konoha, which was still three leagues away (10.5 miles)._

_Haruhi pushed off against another massive branch and heard her teammate push off the same branch right behind her. It was insane! She had never seen such a terrifying creature in her life! And it slaughtered her friend, right in front of her._

_She bit back tears as she forced herself to go on and could only hope that her teammate Satsu was doing the same. Haruhi pushed off another branch, but this time in the opposite direction and grabbed Satsu in mid-air as a claw came down, almost hitting them._

_Satsu screamed while Haruhi back-flipped onto a branch, holding her teammate's shoulders as she stared up at that creature that had killed Kana. Staring up at what was to be the face of death when suddenly the beast disappeared, almost as if disintegrating into thin air and behind it there stood a figure in black, holding a beautiful sword as white as ivory._

Haruhi opened her eyes. Her pupils contracting from the morning glare coming in through her window. Shielding her eyes, she stared up at the ceiling. She remembered that day well, though she didn't know what to make of it in the beginning she knew now that it was a Hollow she had encountered all those years ago. But the figure who saved her and her teammate…that was still a mystery.

Ichigo, after his last day of school, walked up to the Urahara Shoten where Urahara and his household, including Haruhi, were standing outside the shop, waiting for him.

"Welcome." Urahara greeted, "How are your wounds?"

Ichigo ripped open his shirt, showing his healed scars to everyone. "Completely healed."

Urahara snapped his fan shut. "Good!" he said, turning towards his shop. "Did you get permission from your family?"

"Yeah. I told 'em I'm crashing at a friend's house." Ichigo said. Urahara turned around and gave him a funny look.

"Couldn't you come up with anything better? You could've said you were going on vacation with a hot babe like Haru-chan." he said.

"**Watch it.**_**" **_Ichigo said in a threatening tone.

"All right, let's get started." Urahara said.

"Thanks for saving me!" Ichigo said suddenly, making everyone look back at him. Haruhi gave a little laugh into her fist.

"Did…Did you say something?" Urahara asked.

"Um…No." Ichigo said. Urahara gave him a faint smile.

"I didn't think so."

"I'm looking forward to this."

"Oh, I bet you are."

Summer vacation begins.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

"WHOA! WHAT IS THIS? INCREDIBLE!" Urahara bellowed in the massive basement. "This huge, cavernous chamber is right under my store!"

"Oh, Shut up. Yeah, yeah, I'm duly impressed." Ichigo said.

"Ha ha…believe it or not, this is your training room." Urahara said, looking back at Ichigo with a mischievous glint in his eye. "We used our uber-technology to make this overnight—just for you!"

"For real?" Ichigo asked, looking at Haruhi who was standing next to him. "Is it your policy to ignore customers just to advance the story?"

"You tend to get used to it." Haruhi said blandly.

"Look, the ceiling is painted like the sky to lighten the mood!" Urahara said.

"Great, just like a prison." Ichigo mumbled.

"We even planted trees to make it cheery!"

"They're all dead."

"It was no mean feat to build this under a city!"

"It's probably illegal, and in direct violation of multiple building ordinances."

"You've got an answer for everything, don't you?" Haruhi said dryly as she crossed her arms.

"Anyway," Ichigo continued, beginning to stretch his legs. "We don't have much time. Let's get started."

"Good, that's the spirit." Urahara said, pushing Ichigo's soul out of his body with the end of his cane. "Let's do this."

Ichigo tumbled out of his body and rolled several feet away. "Wh-what was that for?" he yelled, rubbing his head but suddenly felt out of breath and heavy.

"This is the first time you've left your body without becoming a soul reaper." Urahara said, "It's hard to breathe, right? You'll find it hard to move, too. You're just a konpaku now. From what Haru-chan has told me, Kuchiki Byakuya destroyed the source of your spiritual energy—your hakusui—and its booster, the saketsu. Now you're just a regular, disembodied spirit from a regular human with no spiritual powers.

"Now, if you want to fight the shinigamis, your reiki must be restored. It's the only way. First, you need to learn to control your konpaku body. Reiki will give you that control. The more of it you have, the better your konpaku body will respond. And when it can move better than your material body, you'll have recovered your reiki."

"Sounds complicated. So what am I supposed to do? Pilates?" Ichigo asked skeptically.

"Please. Maybe you learn better by doing. All right! Warrior! Are you ready?" Urahara called over to Ururu, holding safety gear in her skirt.

"It's a pleasure to train with you." she said softly with a curt curtsy.

"Huh?" Ichigo wondered.

"Here's your first lesson. Hit her." Urahara said.

"What?"

"The rules are simple—the session ends when one of you can no longer move. Knock out before you get knocked out."

"Are you sick or something? You want me to hit a little girl?"

"Well, it's not as easy as you think. Not with _that_ body."

Ichigo suddenly felt ticked off. "**What?**" Thud. He looked behind him to see Ururu, dropping the gear behind him while she wore her own head gear and gloves. "Hey, hold on! I'm not…"

"Please put them on. It'd be bad if I killed you." Ururu said in a dainty manner.

"Huh?" Ichigo wondered, and before he realized it he was at the end of Ururu's attack.

"See," Urahara said in amusement, "What did I tell you?"

Ururu stood among the smoke.

"I don't see him." said Jinta.

"Is he dead?" Tessai asked.

"Who knows?" Urahara said.

"What an idiot for not ducking." Haruhi commented.

Ichigo was spotted tumbling out of the cloud of dust.

"There he is!" Urahara said. Ichigo was seen getting up and them sprinting towards Ururu. "He's charging her!"

"He's passing her." Haruhi added as Ichigo passed by Ururu after picking up the head gear on his way.

"Aw, man! What _was_ that? If she hits me like that again, I'm a goner!" Ichigo said in a panic as he ran away from Ururu. "I don't know how much it'll help, but I'm wearing this head-gear! HOW DOES THIS WORK?"

"Kurosaki-san!" Urahara called, "Like this! Tie it onto your forehead! And scream at the top of your lungs: Take the power of justice! The armor and headband of justice! Protect yourself!"

"Okay! Got it!" Ichigo called back, putting the headband up to his forehead but then stopped and threw the headband down. "NO! I CAN'T DO IT!"

He screamed when Ururu suddenly punched down at where he was standing and began running again with the headband in hand.

"This is no time to worry about looking stupid!" Urahara said.

"What! And end up like you?" Ichigo yelled.

"It's amazing what one will do when their life is in danger." Urahara said.

"Sheesh! All right, I'll say it! Take…the power of justice! The armor and headband of justice! Now I'm ready!" Ichigo said.

"Heh…I can't believe he actually said it." Urahara said while Haruhi rolled her eyes.

"He's just screwing with you!" Haruhi called out.

"WHAT? YOU JERK!" Ichigo screamed.

"Hey, carrot-top!" Jinta called to the running Ichigo, "Don't feel too bad! It only took nee-san twenty seconds to pass this test!"

"IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER, YOU LITTLE PUNK?" Ichigo yelled, dodging another one of Ururu's hits.

"Jinta…" Haruhi sighed before shouting to Ichigo, "Hey, Ichigo! Haven't you noticed that you're out running Ururu-chan?"

"Huh?" Ichigo looked back, noticing that he was in fact out running Ururu. _If I'm out running her…if I can do that…then maybe…_ he stopped and turned around to face his attacker. _I can dodge her punches? And maybe…_ He dodged the first punch, and then the second. _I can do it!_

Ichigo then began to attack back and Ururu dodged.

_I won't hit her face! I'm just gonna tap her headgear a little! I'm so much bigger than her…one tap oughta do it!_ Ichigo thrust out a left hit, scuffing the side of Ururu's face. _Ah damn! I cut her!_

Ururu's pupil dilated and before Ichigo knew it, she was standing on his arm and kicked him clear across the way. Urahara was holding Ururu's leg and called out: "Safe!"

Ichigo cringed as he sat up, a little disturbed that Tessai had broke his fall. "I…lost?" Ichigo wondered as he stood up. "Damn! Let me try again! I'll beat her this time!"

"That won't be necessary, it's congratulations time." Urahara said. "That's lesson one. You passed!"

"What? How? She beat me like I owed her money!" Ichigo said.

"I said only knock out before you're knocked out. I never said you had to knock Ururu out to pass, did I?" Urahara asked, "This girl has shinigami-level combat skills. A human konpaku doesn't stand a chance against her. Are you still having trouble breathing?"

"Hey…actually…"

"And moving? Better, isn't it? How long?"

Ichigo thought for a moment. "A little while…"

"Of course. This lesson was about one thing, whether or not you could survive the first blow. That's all. Haru-chan, take it from here." Urahara said, pointing his fan towards Haruhi who was in the middle of putting a band-aid on Ururu's cut.

"Spirit energy is increased most quickly when a konpaku is placed in a life-or-death situation. So we exposed you to mortal danger." Haruhi began, "If your spirit energy increased, you would evade the subsequent punches and live happily ever after."

"What if it didn't increase?" Ichigo asked.

"Then you'd be dead." Jinta said as if it were the obvious answer.

"Why, you…no skin off your back, eh?" Ichigo said, ticked off at the unethical man that was Urahara.

"Come. It was worth the risk! Your spirit energy did increase! So, let's celebrate! By going straight to…"

"Huh? Dinner? A party?" Ichigo asked hopefully.

Tessai, appearing out of nowhere all of a sudden, suddenly dropped an axe down, cutting Ichigo's chain.

"Straight to lesson two." Urahara finished.

Ichigo screamed like the end of the world was coming. "I'M GONNA DIE!"

"No need to be so dramatic." Haruhi said from where she sat on a boulder.

"What did you expect? You guys just cut the chain of fate! I need that!" Ichigo yelled.

"We know that." Haruhi said calmly.

"You do? You did it on purpose?"

"Yes. And now that your chain of fate has been severed, Kurosaki-kun, you can't return to your body. You're going to die." Urahara said, "The encroachment of the chain will begin soon. When it reaches your chest, a big hole will be eaten there and you'll become a hollow, the end."

"What?"

"Oh, you didn't know? How awkward. But don't worry, there is a way to survive after your chain of fate has been cut. But only _one_ way. You must become a shinigami. That's right, lesson two is about regaining your shinigami powers! When it's over, you will be a fully functional shinigami again. Well, shall we begin the lesson? Shattered shaft! GO!"

Urahara pointed in a misleading direction when a sudden hole appeared beneath Ichigo, and he fell, screaming his lungs out, with Tessai sitting on his back.

"Heh! We really suckered him this time!" Urahara said, looking down into the shaft. "It's pretty deep, huh?"

"I did my best." Ururu said. Haruhi gave a small laugh but her smile quickly vanished when she sensed a familiar, unwanted chakra.

"Nee-san, where are you going?" Jinta asked. Urahara and Ururu looked back as well.

"I'm a little tired. Come get me when he gets out of that hole." Haruhi said.

"It'll be awhile, so watch the shop for us." Urahara said.

"Yeah, yeah." Haruhi said over her shoulder.

Haruhi stepped out of the shop and onto the front lot, as empty as she remembered it to be that morning. Except for one thing…

"My dear Godaime, I knew you'd come out for me if I came out for you." Sasuke said from where he sat casually on the roof of the Urahara Shouten. His onyx eyes gazing down at Haruhi who was looking up at him with hard, unclouded brown eyes. He smirked at her.

Haruhi easily jumped up onto the roof, landing in front of Sasuke. "What now? Did your little gang finally go rogue and leave you?" she asked.

Sasuke leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, his smirk growing. "I have a simple request to ask of you."

Haruhi raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening." she said.

Sasuke quickly grabbed Haruhi's wrist and yanked her down to her knees between his legs. With his other hand he put behind Haruhi's head and pulled her even closer to him until their noses touched.

"Don't over-exert yourself." he whispered as his hand grasping her wrist slid up her arm, over the rosaries, and held Haruhi at the elbow. Haruhi knew what he meant and they both knew that she would (like always), go against what was advised.

Sighing softly, Haruhi looked away for a moment before returning her gaze back Sasuke's, smiling slightly. "You know I don't listen."

Sasuke smirked, "I figured as much, but keep in mind, your body isn't as strong as it used to be. Not since that day."

"I know…but it doesn't mean that I can't help my friends in any way that I can." Haruhi said, "What happened that time wasn't your fault, Sasuke."

Sasuke, in a rare show of emotion, held Haruhi close, hugging her to him and she hugged him back. Their secret still a secret.

"I love you," he whispered.

Haruhi opened her eyes and pushed herself up with her hands. She looked around to see that she was in her room within the Urahara Shouten.

"Well…_that_ was different." she huffed.

The door to Haruhi's room was hastily slid open as Ururu rushed in. "Nee-chan, come quick! Kurosaki-san has gained his shinigami powers." she said, pulling at Haruhi's hand to make the older girl stand up.

"All right, all right," Haruhi said, standing up and allowing the little girl to pull her along towards the secret latch that led to the underground chamber. Ururu walked ahead of Haruhi towards where Ichigo and the others stood. "Oh look, he's back on his feet." she dead-panned.

"Haru-chan, perfect timing," Urahara said before turning back towards Ichigo and cheered, "Congratulations! You succeeded in becoming a shinigami! Hooray! You passed lesson two!"

"Screw you!" Ichigo said, hitting Urahara's face with the bottom part of his hilt.

"My eye!" Urahara cried, squatting at Ichigo's feet, holding his face.

"You should've been praying I'd never come out of that hole alive. 'Cause I swore that if I ever made it out of there, I'd kick your ass!" Ichigo said before Haruhi slapped the back of his head. "Hey! What the hell was that for, senpai?"

"You moron," Haruhi said in a dull tone, "You may have your shinigami powers back but you have no bite to back up your words. Let's carry that spirit right into lesson three."

"Lesson three, has no time limit!" Urahara said, rebounding from his earlier position. "If you can knock my hat off with the zanpakutou, you pass." Without skipping a beat, Ichigo suddenly rushed forward and slashed his broken sword upward, making a small cut in Urahara's hat. "Nat bad. You got this close with a broken zanpakutou."

"That's right! And I wasn't even trying!" Ichigo said in a cocky attitude. "Forget the time limit stuff! I'll finish this in five minutes!"

"You think so?" Urahara asked, drawing out a sword from his cane. "All right, let's see you do it. But I should warn you, if you do pass lesson three, lesson four will be even tougher—because you'll be facing against Haru, and she's a much stricter teacher than I am."

"Ha-ru-chan!" Haruhi turned around to see Botan beaming up at her.

"Botan, back already?" Haruhi asked.

"Hai! And I brought the people you requested for, but there's a small hitch to it though—"

"Great, are they waiting outside the shop?" Haruhi asked with a bright look on her face.

"Well, Haru, you see…um…oh dear…" Botan trailed off when Ichigo suddenly ran between her and Haruhi with Urahara following closely behind, swinging around his sword, laughing wildly. "What's going on?" Botan asked.

"I won't be needed for awhile." Haruhi concluded, "Let's go back up, I want to see how strong Kuwabara's gotten. Not to mention the dumb look on his face when he sees just how strong I've gotten, too!"

"Ahh! M-matte, Haru-chan! About the three you wanted me to bring—" Botan began, quickly following after Haruhi on her oar who had leapt up to the opening in the chamber's ceiling. Botan made it in time to catch Haruhi walking towards the door into the shop, but wasn't quick enough to stop Haruhi in time from stepping outside to the front lot, where Haruhi's excited grin faltered.

"Haru," Neji said, nodding his head at Haruhi.

"Yo, Urameshi! Long time no see!" Kuwabara said with a grin.

"Urameshi!" greeted Chuu and Jin.

"_Botan_…" Haruhi began, her left eye twitching in annoyance. "Where are the other two I asked for? Where are Kurama and Hokkashin?"

Botan sweat-dropped as she nervously wringed her hands. "Aha-ha-ha…Well, you see, Haru-chan…When I was in Konoha getting Kuwabara…I accidentally ran into a couple of other people and well…I told them you sent me and they just insisted on coming along."

"Jeez! And you let that happen?" Haruhi exclaimed, clearly in a sour mood.

"Don't blame Botan," Neji said, "We insisted in being here."

"And besides, Haru-chan, Kurama and Hokkashin-san couldn't come." Botan said, "Kurama's away on a mission for the village and Hokkashin is too busy with dealings in Makai right now."

"Fine," Haruhi said with lack of enthusiasm.

"Also," Neji said, coming to stand in front of Haruhi and dropping a bundled load between them. "Tsunade-sama wants you to look over these documents for her." Haruhi looked down at the heavy stack of papers bundled neatly together, a vein pulsing in her temple. "She says she can't make a decision on them and wants a second opinion from you."

"In other words: it's a lazy way of saying she's dumping the load onto you, Urameshi." Kuwabara said, clearly amused.

_Why is the universe screwing me over like this?_


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Thanks to everybody who have been very patient with me and added me as your favorite Author and even added my stories as your favorites. I'm very sorry for the long delay and me constantly removing and reloading the same chapters, but it was all because my ideas changed and on top of that my ocean of creative juices dwindled down to a puddle. But on lighter news, I've been taking the time off to brain storm new ideas and I'm happy to say that I'm back! Also, I have more twists coming in the future chapters of my story along with more crossovers, but I won't get into that just yet since you guys will just have to be patient some more to find out. Further more, I know I promised that this story will have a lot of Bleach influence, but in order for the story to remain focused on the main plot, I won't be adding as much Bleach influence as I had said i would. I believe that I should keep to the original script and stay as true to the story arc as I possibly can...until I feel the need that it may need a little something extra.**

**Thank you again and send me a lot of reviews on what you thought of my new and improved chapters!**

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Chapter Thirteen

Ichigo looked at the group of guys that sat in a circle with Haruhi, him sitting directly across from Haruhi in his shinigami form. It was a little awkward for him since he had no idea what to expect from the new guests that had suddenly arrived out of the blue.

"So, uh…you guys know Haruhi-san?" he asked slowly.

"Yeah, we know the sheila," Chuu said, looking down at Ichigo with his thick arms folded in front of his chest and a suspicious stare in his beady black eyes. Of course, Chuu was also on the verge of being drunk after having several bottles of sake. "We've all had the pleasure of fightin' her. How 'bout you, boy? Have ya gone one-on-one with her yet?"

Ichigo sweat-dropped, uncomfortable beneath Chuu's suspicious (and hazy) stare. "N-no, I haven't." he said, feeling like he was being interrogated by the big brothers who were keeping an eye out for their younger sister.

"Leave him alone, Chuu." Haruhi said, who was reading through the report of what she had missed from when she left to present day. "This is pretty detailed, you sure all this happened in such a short amount of time?"

"What were you expecting? We are shinobi after all; the village has been very active in missions for the past three years." Neji said.

"A few of us have even been promoted to the rank of jounin." Kuwabara said, "Your sister has even become a priestess of a new temple in the village."

"Not surprised, Kimiko has a way different flow of chakra compared to Susumu and me. Damn! Tsunade's been keeping busy!" Haruhi said, "I just wish that hag wouldn't dump all these worthless documents on me."

"Again, Haru, I said I was sorry!" Botan said.

"Jeez! All these zeros better be a typo! All these friggin' debts—and what the hell? She wants to petition for a casino in the village?" Haruhi said, going through the list of funds the village made and lost. _That hag—because of her gambling, the village is in some serious debt to eight clans outside Konoha. Even the Daimyo loaned out money to the village! That woman's nothing but a giant thorn in my side._

"You do know that we still don't know why we're here, Haru." Neji pointed out calmly. Haruhi looked up from the documents that were making her stressful.

"Technically I didn't ask for you to be here, but since Botan couldn't convince Kurama and Houkashin to come, I'm stuck with what I got." Haruhi said with a sigh, putting the papers down.

"Gee, such gratitude." Kuwabara said in dry sarcasm.

"How do you feel about going to Seireitei to cause a little trouble with the shinigami there?"

"Haru…" Neji said in a low voice, knowing exactly where this was going.

"Seireitei?" Kuwabara wondered.

"Cause trouble for those damn shinigamis, eh?" Chuu said, scratching his whiskered chin, finding the idea to be amusing. "They have been givin' us demons a rather nasty headache…"

Jin grinned, "It's jus' like our lass in wantin' ta start a brawl. Ya can count me in!"

"Same here!" Chuu said, "Been wantin' to test out my new techniques on a couple o' sooks."

_That's two._ Haruhi noted.

"I don't know, Urameshi, picking a fight with an enemy we know nothin' about doesn't seem like a very smart thing to do." Kuwabara said.

"Aww, c'mon, Kuwabara, you used to love getting into fights. This'll be a great opportunity to show me how much you _haven't_ improved these last few years so that I can compare how much of a gap there still is between us." Haruhi said, laughing at the idea knowing fully well that she got Kuwabara.

"As if, punk!" Kuwabara exclaimed, quickly rising to defend his pride. "I've improved these last few years, and if you don't believe then I'll prove it by taking you outside and beating you to the ground with my way cool new spirit sword!"

_I can't believe how easily baited he was into that obvious trap._ Neji thought.

"The problem is that I only needed three people to accompany me. I wasn't expecting for a fourth member in the group." Haruhi said as she leaned back on her hands.

Neji closed his eyes, "I don't plan to be a part of your little raid. Tsunade forced me to go with Botan and Kuwabara to just deliver the papers to you." he said.

"Really? That's all?" Haruhi asked with a raised brow before turning to Ichigo. "Hey, Ichigo, the summer festival is coming up soon." she said, getting the orange-haired boy's attention. "You should go and spend some time being carefree before you leave."

"Uh…right." Ichigo said with a soft smile.

"Ah, speaking of summer festival," Haruhi stood up, "Give me a sec, I'll be right back." When Haruhi returned she was holding what looked to be like a paper lantern.

"What is that?" Ichigo asked.

"Ohhh! Is it that time of year again?" Chuu asked happily.

Haruhi held it out to Ichigo. "Here, I figured this year someone else should take it."

"Thanks, but, uh…what is this?" Ichigo asked.

"It's a houzuki." Haruhi answered, "You'll know what it's for when you take part. You should invite that Quincy guy along, too."

"Uryuu? Why?"

"Because two humans are better than one. And tonight is the full moon."

With a plan set (and much persistence from Haruhi), Ichigo met Uryuu in the park after dark with the houzuki wrapped up in a cloth.

"I'm surprised you actually agreed to show up, Ishida." Ichigo said.

"I had no intention to do so but Urahara-san's scary niece threatened me into coming along." Uryuu said, making Ichigo sweat-dropped as he could only imagine what Haruhi must have said or done to the Quincy.

Looking down at his wrist-watch, Uryuu adjusted his glasses with his other hand. "Just seconds before four o'clock."

Ichigo nodded and unwrapped the houzuki that suddenly lit up like a bulb.

"It lit up." Uryuu noted.

"But…it isn't hot at all." Ichigo said, holding the houzuki by the stem on top. From the folds of the cloth out fell a note that Uryuu bent down to pick up. "What is it?"

Uryuu unfolded the note and began to read. "Warning! Only those actually holding the Houzuki may take part. Therefore, two people holding it must hold it as if they had a close relationship. In much the same way a newlywed couple would hold the knife to cut the wedding cake…Haru."

Instantly both Ichigo and Uryuu had a sickened expression on their faces.

"I'm not so sure I want to go through with this." Ichigo said.

"It's either this or face Urameshi-san." Uryuu said.

A heavy pause passed between the two of them before both exhaling in defeat and held the houzuki's stem together as the note suggested they should do. Instantly they were engulfed in a white light and shadows appeared, taking shape. Within seconds, both Ichigo and Uryuu were standing amongst a parade of spirits and apparitions, all carrying similar houzukis, marching up a lit road.

"Wh-what the hell is this?" Ichigo exclaimed in awe and shock.

"Hyakki yakou?" Uryuu murmured aloud, wondering if what they were seeing was out of folk lore.

"You mean where spirits and those white-haired witch women go walking along carrying lights? It was, um…" Ichigo trailed off, distracted by what his eyes were seeing and his mind unable to comprehend.

"That's it. They painted scenes like this during the Edo period. The paintings are called _Gazu Hyakki Yakou._"

"So…we're in the world of the paintings?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know? First you act like you know everything, then this! Come on!" Ichigo yelled in irritation, attracting unwanted attention from the passing parade of spirits.

"What are you doing?" asked a fish-like spirit in a yukata.

"If you don't come quick, you'll be left behind." said a lizard spirit.

"The Hyakki Yakou will leave!" informed a raccoon spirit.

"So this _is_ a Hyakki Yakou then?" Ichigo asked.

"What else would you call it when we gather like this once a year and go walking?" asked a passing rabbit spirit.

"We're not in a world of paintings or anything?" Ichigo asked, still getting over his shock.

Several spirits laughed in good humor at Ichigo's naïve question.

"You're saying that there are human pictures of this?" guffawed a crane spirit.

"What? Was that some kind of joke? It isn't a very good one." tittered a large koi fish spirit.

"Oh, dear! We'll be left behind as well!"

"Then let's be off!"

"How do you feel?" Uryuu asked, turning to Ichigo.

"Nothing. I don't sense anything strange, aside from the adrenaline." Ichigo replied back.

"Either way, we should keep our guards up."

"Yeah. Let's hurry and catch up with them."

As they followed the parade of spirits, they were astounded by what they saw what was ahead.

"It's huge." Uryuu said, "Like some amazing tree. If those flowers are going to bloom, it'll be even more amazing."

"I wonder what they're doing?" Ichigo wondered, watching the spirits line up with their houzukis.

"It looks like they're bringing the houzuki over to the flowers." Uryuu said, as he and Ichigo got closer, Uryuu tripped over a small fox child and in the process he accidentally released the stem of the houzuki and every spirit there turned in an instant.

"It' a human!"

"A human over there!"

"Why would a human have a lantern?"

"I want to know what we're going to do with the human?"

"Eat him?"

Uryuu gasped as his eyes widened with panic.

"WAIT!" called a young child who resembled a human wearing a colorful cap and two red stars tattooed on his left cheek. "I got this from the human here!" he said, holding up a broken end of an arrow.

"It's a haja-ya!" gasped one of the spirits.

"What a wonderful gift."

"He gave me this selfless gift for nothing in return!" the child said, "So please…don't eat him!"

"_Understood,"_ came a voice that was old and wise. Both Ichigo and Uryuu turned to the tree that spoke. _"I will allow these human children their fill."_

"The tree? It can talk?" Ichigo said in surprise.

"_Step forward. Bring your houzuki this way."_

Ichigo held up the houzuki to a flower and instantly the houzuki was filled with a clear liquid.

"That scent…" Ichigo began, recognizing it.

"Is it sake?" Uryuu asked.

"_Yes. Only once a year…those who take part in the Hyakki Yakou are allowed to drink this nectar. Drink it deep and well. You only return with it thanks to the consideration of a young youkai child."_

"I guess we owe you big time, kid." Ichigo said, smiling down at the child.

"_You children have a rare, unequaled spirits. However, it will not always be good things that are attracted by that spirit. You may have had difficult times previously…however, you are in the process of change. Little by little. Be certain to see that change all the way through. Especially those who change on account of meeting a certain someone."_

With that said, everything around Ichigo and Uryuu shimmered and faded and both teens found themselves back in the park in Karakura Town.

"We're back? It wasn't a dream, right?" Ichigo asked.

"If it _was_ a dream, then we've been standing here dreaming for more than eight hours." Uryuu said in a dry tone.

"EH?" Ichigo gasped before calming quickly and looking down at the full houzuki. "But why would Haruhi-san give me this houzuki?"

"Because I wanted the nectar!" came a familiar voice from the top of the playground slide. Both Ichigo and Uryuu turned around to see Haruhi, Urahara, and everybody associated to them. Haruhi slid down the slide and trotted up to them, taking the full houzuki. "It's the nectar of the Hyakki Yakou! It's better than any sake out there!"

"And so, that means that we were just…" Ichigo began, rage boiling up inside him as he felt completely used.

"Thanks for letting us use you!" Everyone said together (minus Neji who said nothing).

"Hey! We were almost eaten back there!" Ichigo yelled.

"Now, Ishida-kun, will you have a drink with us? It's moon viewing sake!" Haruhi said, completely ignoring Ichigo.

"Let's all drink!" Jin cheered, quickly joined in by Chuu and Kuwabara who were ready for the celebration.

"When that tree told us about how we'd change on meeting a certain someone, was that…" Ichigo wondered, watching everyone take a cup of sake and cheering merrily. "…referring to the fact that we're always being used ever since we first met Haruhi-san?"

"Kurosaki! If you don't come here quick, we're going to drink it all up!" Urahara said.

"I have a question, how did that child during the Hyakki Yakou know us?" Uryuu asked.

"Oh, yeah, I have no clue who that kid is." Ichigo said, taking the offered cup of sake from Botan.

"Oh, that was Rinku." Haruhi answered simply as the same child looked across from the circle of friends and waved with a big grin. "I figured one of you might slip up and let go of the houzuki so I had Rinku keep an eye out for you and intervene with the haja-ya Kuwabara gave him on his birthday."

"How did that kid get here?" Ichigo asked, looking at Rinku who shared his Houzuki with Chuu and everybody else.

"Isn't it obvious? He's only here to moon view with us." Haruhi said, "A bunch of us did it last year so may as well keep it up, right?"

"Heh, so the brat kept that piece of junk, huh?" Kuwabara said with an amused grin.

"It's not junk, it's good luck!" Rinku grinned.

"So…you had this all planned out beforehand?" Ichigo asked.

"Pretty smart, huh?" Haruhi grinned.

"For once." Neji added, deflating Haruhi's smugness though earning a great roar of laughter from the large group.

As everyone enjoyed the sake to the very last drop beneath the full moon in the park, Ichigo couldn't help but wonder about Haruhi and her strange friends. Questions of her origins, her knowledge of the spiritual world, and her powers swirled around in his mind.

"Something on your mind, Ichigo?" Haruhi asked while everyone was giving their attention to Chu and Jin who were singing a song together with Kuwabara and Tessai joining in.

"That tree or whatever…it said something about how I have changed after meeting a certain someone." Ichigo said.

Haruhi closed her eyes with a knowing smile, her cup of sake at her lips. "And you believe that certain someone who has changed you is Rukia?"

"Well, yeah. I mean…our meeting was like a fated coincident."

Haruhi opened her eyes and looked up to the moon. "There is no such thing as coincidence in this world. The only thing is _hitsuzen._"

"Hitsuzen?" Ichigo repeated in question, looking at Haruhi who had turned her head to smile at him as if keeping a secret.

"You'll know what I mean someday."

"Haruhi-san…" Ichigo began in a low voice, nursing the empty sake cup between his fingers. "Be honest…what are my chances of succeeding in saving Rukia?"

Haruhi was silent for a moment, not at all surprised by the question since she too had been in his position before. "When I look at you, Ichigo…I see myself." Ichigo looked at Haruhi with surprise and curiosity at her reply. "You're just like me when I first started out as the Spirit Detective. I was weak at first, with great physical and mental limitations. I was quick to criticize myself, telling myself how pathetic I was for not being able to do anything. But I learned from my many mistakes and I adapted to each situation. Like myself, you have the ability to adapt to your surroundings when needed. You have a lot of raw power but you're untrained and have no control of reiki to hone that power of yours.

"I can't tell you what your chances are in your attempt to infiltrate Seireitei, because I don't know. With your talent, it's unpredictable to tell who will come out as the victor. But keep in mind that your friends are behind you every step of the way, so taking on all of the responsibility onto yourself is the rookie mistake I've made many times in the past. It's better to make mistakes as a team, than make mistakes as a solo." Haruhi patted Ichigo's back in comfort. "Trust me, you'll be all right if you learn to work with a team."

Ichigo gave Haruhi a small smile. "Thanks, Haruhi-san." he said, feeling less heavier in the heart.

* * *

(Next morning in Urahara's Shouten)

"I refuse." Haruhi said flatly to Neji at the breakfast table.

"Haru, you're needed back in Konoha for a meeting with the other Kage's of the five nations." Neji said, "It's crucial for the Hokage to attend that meeting if we plan to keep mutual peace at our borders."

"You guys have Tsunade, she's capable enough." Haruhi said.

"You're missing the point, Haru," Neji said, "_You_ are the _Godaime_, the other shinobi leaders are expecting to meet the strongest of each nation. Tsunade-sama may be a sannin, but compared to you, she lacks in certain aspects that only you have. This meeting is very important; it could cease all fighting and open borders with other countries."

Haruhi took a moment to think it over and sighed in irritation. "Jeez, if it isn't one thing it's another." she said, scratching the back of her head in irritation to the early morning debate.

"Why are you being so difficult?" Neji demanded, his frustration with Haruhi growing by the second.

"Why are you being so persistent?" Haruhi countered.

"Damnit, Haru! Stop being so selfish for once and do your job as the Fifth Hokage of Konoha and come back home!"

"Believe me, Neji, I will come back home _when_ I'm ready to, but I'm not!"

"There you go again! You're always putting your own problems before everybody else's! Just like the brat you are!"

"Hey, hey! Guys! Let's just talk it out." Kuwabara said, trying to mediate the tension.

"At least I'm not always brooding and keeping people at a distance!"

"I'm not the one who left the village on a selfish whim!"

"You're one to talk about being selfish!"

"Me? You were the one to—" Neji was cut off as he and Haruhi were both conked on the head by Urahara's cane, leaving them both clutching their heads in pain and irritation.

"All right! All right! Break it up, you two." Urahara said, cutting in between the two. "Now let's settle this like grown ups and come to some form of agreement."

"Why don't we settle this like old times?" Haruhi suggested.

"Fine by me. I'm sure we don't have to go over the terms of whoever wins, correct?" Neji said.

"That's right." Haruhi said, as she and Neji stood and walked towards the hidden latch into the basement where Ichigo was currently training with Jin and Chu.

"What's up?" Ichigo asked, pausing in the middle of his training as Haruhi and Neji bypassed him and the two demons to a further location in the basement. "Hey, what's going on?"

"Uh oh," both Jin and Chu said in unison.

"What d'you mean by uh oh?" Ichigo asked.

Urahara sighed loudly as he, Kuwabara, Botan, and the Shouten, all came walking together onto a high rocky ledge. "We'll have to remodel if things get out of hand." Urahara said, as if the thought was troublesome.

Ichigo followed them up onto the rocky ledge to look down at Haruhi and Neji who were at a stand-off with each other. With a few yards between them, sizing each other up.

"What's going on?" Ichigo asked again.

"They're having another one of their fights." Kuwabara sighed.

"The way you say it makes it sound like they're a couple." Ichigo said.

"Well, sort of. Y'see, they broke up awhile ago over something I'm not at all clear about. All I know is that it was a messy break-up." Kuwabara said.

"You're kidding me, right?" Ichigo asked.

"No," Botan said, having been there when the break-up happened. "The matter of it is complicated, perhaps even a bit scandalous."

"Like how?" Ichigo asked.

"I'm not allowed to say, I'm sorry, Ichigo-kun." Botan said, as Chuu, Kuwabara, and Jin looked at Botan with burning curiosity.

As if knowing what the other was thinking, both Haruhi and Neji charged each other full throttle, kunais and shurikens at hand. As soon as they were within feet of each other, metals clashed and the battle was on.

Neji was able to counter all of Haruhi's projectile attacks easily and going in with straight forward attacks with his Gentle Fist technique. Haruhi dodged most of them, but not all, and she returned the hits with her own attacks with fists and kicks. But Neji could sense something was wrong, and he had an inkling that it had something to do with the rosary wrapped around Haruhi's right arm.

Each rosary bead gave off its own individual chakra, but only eight were regular beads, though they have remnants of chakra that had been drained away. And Neji wondered why. And the only way to find out was to cut it off from Haruhi's arm, but every time he even came within a centimeter from touching the beads, Haruhi would maneuver her arm away. It was as if she was doing everything she could to keep the rosary out of Neji's reach.

Something was wrong. Why would Haruhi take on the offense instead of the defense? It was so unlike her. It was infuriating him!

Haruhi kicked straight into Neji's solar plex, only for him to explode in a cloud of smoke to be revealed as a shattered piece of rock and the real Neji appearing behind Haruhi and successfully breaking the rosary from her arm.

Almost like an instant response, Haruhi elbowed Neji in his right eye as she moved away, clutching her right arm and turning away from him. Neji had stumbled back from the blow to his eye but did not miss how Haruhi had turned her back to him.

Urahara flash-stepped to Haruhi's side, putting his green haori around her shoulders, as if he were shielding her.

"Haru…are you alright?" Neji asked, ignoring his swelling right eye as he approached Haruhi and Urahara. "Haru?"

"Don't look." Haruhi whispered.

"Haru, what's wrong?" Neji asked, walking around Haruhi to her front and was shocked to his core by what he was seeing. A massive dark bruise was stretching up the entire right side of her body, creeping up her neck to her face, and he didn't doubt that it was bigger than what he could see. "What is this?"

"What's going on?" Ichigo asked, still watching on the rocky ledge with everyone else.

"I don't know." Kuwabara said, worry in his voice.

"Urameshi's been sick for a little over a year now." Jin said in a low tone. "The healers in Makai don' know what it is."

"I guess that's why she refused to come back home." Kuwabara said.

The bruises on Haruhi only got darker and were becoming painful for her to bear as the day went on. Botan, Ururu, and Jinta stayed by Haruhi's side as she had no choice but to be bed-ridden. Pain medication did little to nothing to ease her pain while her friends were left helpless.

Ichigo was put back to training with Urahara as his teacher with Tessai's occasional assistance while Jin and Chuu sat outside Haruhi's room like guards.

Unable to deal with this turn of events, Neji had stepped outside for a moment to digest things. He won their so-called fight because Haruhi was sick, and her condition only worsened because he had ripped off the rosary that was keeping the symptoms suppressed. Now she was in pain because of him.

"Hey, how're you doing?" Kuwabara asked, finding Neji sitting on the roof of Urahara's house and taking a seat beside him.

"Did you know about Haru?" Neji asked.

"No…I didn't know." Kuwabara replied, "It's kinda hard to believe it, huh?"

"Yeah…it is…"

"It's not you're fault, man. You didn't know, none of us did."

"I should've kept my cool instead of losing myself to lesser emotions."

Kuwabara put a hand on Neji's shoulder in comfort. "You know why you got angry with her so fast?"

"Humor me."

"It's because you love her. My nee-san once told me that the reason why we get angry with the people we're close with is because we don't want them to get hurt, because love makes us want to protect them."

Neji shook his head and exhaled a slow and heavy breath. "It's true with what you say, but…I don't love her."

"What?" Kuwabara said in surprise. "But…I thought…since when?"

"She left the village shortly after Uchiha and she just left a note for me, asking me to wait for her. How could I? She left me, expecting something like that of me."

"Did you wait?"

"Yes, but during a mission my team and I just happened to cross paths with Haru who was in the area at that time. But she wasn't alone. She was with Uchiha, meeting him in secret." Neji's fists clenched harder as his stomach tightened, still burning with anger and resentment of that day.

"Listen, Haru wouldn't do something as dishonest as cheating with Uchiha."

"You're _wrong_!" Neji said through clenched teeth. "She did. She was pregnant with Uchiha's child! I saw with my Byakugan! She betrayed my trust! And because of that I had wished her dead! I had wished—" Neji broke off, chocking on his words as he fought off a sob.

Kuwabara put a hand on Neji's back in an attempt of comfort, though his mind swam with what he just learned. But that was in the past, but there was still one question he needed to ask. "What happened to the baby?"

Neji gave into his emotions and sobbed hard. "I did it! I—I killed her child!"

Kuwabara's blood ran as cold as ice in that instant, but he didn't remove his hand from Neji's back.

"As…as shinobis, we all do things we aren't proud of." Kuwabara said.

* * *

**AN: To those of you who have noticed, I added a part of xxxholic into this chapter because I felt that a break in the storyline was needed while I focused on improving the story. I thank you all for your patience and I would love for your feedback with reviews. I even welcome flamers who find my story dumb or anything that follows down the negative. Either way, they'll be ignored or will receive a comment back in my future chapters.**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Haruhi's bruises had blackened and became too painful to even tolerate the weight of the blankets as she laid on her left side that had yet to have any bruises. Botan had left in the morning to return to Reikai to inform Koenma of Haruhi's health, though she was reluctant to leave her friend's side.

Kuwabara took Botan's place to stay by Haruhi's side, although he felt that Neji should have at least come in once to see her. He felt burdened by what Neji revealed, and it felt wrong for him to be the only one to know when Haruhi was in this state.

"Urameshi…I don't know if you're listening or not but it's hard. It's hard for me to see you like this." Kuwabara began, having a hard time controlling his emotions. "It's just so unfair…you are the strongest person I know and to see you laying in bed with some unknown sickness. Why can't we just go back to the way things were? Back when we were going on missions together, kicking demon butt, and getting into fights with each other over dumb things.

"Listen, Urameshi. I don't ever tell you what to do whenever we go on missions together, well, not always, but this time…this time I want you to really listen. It's time to come home, Haru. Everybody misses you and the village needs you."

Silence met Kuwabara from Haruhi as he was sure that Haruhi was sleeping thanks to the sedative given by Urahara. Neji was standing out in the hallway to Haruhi's room, listening quietly to Kuwabara's rambling to Haruhi. He felt terrible for Haruhi's situation, especially for the wrong-doing he did to her a year ago. It was his fault she was like this now. If only he had kept his calm and not act so childishly. He's killed Haruhi. For the second time. He was to blame.

* * *

(Two Days Later)

Botan returned from Reikai with a small squadron of Koenma's SDF (Spirit Defense Force). It was going to be hard for Haruhi to be moved, especially when she had to be sedated to keep from screaming in pain. On top of that, Haruhi was in no condition to travel through the Spirit Road to reach Konoha in less than an hour and it would take about two weeks on foot. Their only option was by sky with the covering of clouds.

After making the preparations, Haruhi was carried into the palanquin that was long enough for Haruhi to lay in.

"I can only pray for your safe journey back." Urahara said to the departing party.

"Thank you for taking care of Haruhi for us, we're all grateful." Botan said, bowing to Urahara in respect. Urahara nodded his head in kind, though his mouth was set in a worried line.

"We'll keep her safe. That I can promise." Kuwabara said as a cloud formed beneath the parting group and raised them up to the sky, hidden by unwanted eyes by a barrier.

"Will Haruhi-san be okay?" Ichigo, who had stood in the background, asked.

"We can only hope." Urahara said.

* * *

(Konoha)

Urameshi Kimiko was standing outside in the front courtyard of the Kuwabara family temple, sweeping away the dirt as if she were purifying the stone ground. Her duty as a priestess-in-training kept her busy with exorcisms, purification, blessings, healing, and creating barriers to keep out unholy beings that mean harm.

Yes, ever since the "rebirth" of her older sister, Kimiko was able to see unusual things like ghosts. She knew her older siblings had the ability to exorcise the spirits and demons in their own, destructive way, but she was different. Kimiko had the ability to heal any spirit and help them move on to heaven.

But ever since her sister left the village her brother disappeared shortly after. It wasn't fair. She was lonely without her siblings, and because of her position, she didn't have any friends her own age, let alone any friends from the academy which she never attended. It seemed that she would be the only Urameshi to not become a shinobi. She didn't even learn the Urameshi's Resshuuken style of fighting, nor did she learn any jutsus, just healing and exorcisms. Although her mother did take it upon herself to teach her daughter the basics of martial arts, saying that in order to have strong reiki, one must also have a strong body. In a way, it wasn't like she was dishonoring her clan. After all, her clan thrived on fighting and she was much too gentle and timid for such a lifestyle.

_I feel lost in what my purpose in life really is._ she thought in dismay as she swept the courtyard slower than before as her mood steadily declined. _Maybe I should get a pet or something?_

Sakura came running up the stairs, looking breathless and frantic all at once. Her disheveled appearance alarmed Kimiko as she knew that something was up.

"There's an emergency at the hospital!" Sakura panted, taking Kimiko's hand. "Haruhi-sama is in critical condition!"

Kimiko was taken aback with shock.

"Nee-chan's in the hospital?" Kimiko asked in panic.

"Yes! So let's hurry, Kimi-chan!" Sakura said, pulling Kimiko onto her back and taking off at a sprint towards the hospital.

* * *

Tsunade and her best team of medic-nins were all scrambling about as they made preparations for the unexpected return of the fifth Hokage in such poor and critical health. It was shock to their systems to see their strongest now to be so weak. And dying.

During the journey back to Konoha, Haruhi's condition had turned for the worst, not even halfway through as Haruhi's bruises began to bleed out black blood and burn with fever.

An hour after Haruhi was delivered to the hospital, Tsunade worked feverishly to stop the bleeding and to bring down the fever. With time working against her, and the black blood a sign of an ill outcome, Tsunade had no choice but to drain the black blood until there was only red, healthy blood. But how much of Haruhi's blood was black? And if there was enough of healthy blood to keep her alive. Tsunade had to take that chance as she ordered for several bags of Haruhi's blood-type.

Out in the lobby, family and friends waited anxiously for news. Any news at all. Haruhi's mother and sister sat, scared for the worst. Botan sat with them, though she could do nothing to give them comfort. Outside, the villagers and shinobi were all gathering outside the hospital, holding the same hope to hear news of any kind of their Godaime.

"Word travels fast." Kuwabara said, standing against a pillar, looking out at the village from the hospital. Kurama was standing beside his comrade while Hiei leaned against the wall away from them with his arms folded across his chest.

"Well, what did you expect? Their Godaime has returned after such a long time only to hear that she is dying of an unknown illness." Kurama said, "They wish to know what the fate of their youngest leader will be."

"What happened to the rosary that Haru had been wearing when she left Makai last year?" Hiei asked.

Both Kuwabara and Kurama turned to look at Hiei who was focusing his crimson eyes on Kuwabara.

"How do you know that Urameshi was wearing a rosary?" Kuwabara asked.

"Because I was there when Haru began to show signs that she was sick." Hiei said.

"Hiei…why didn't you say something sooner to us?" Kurama asked.

"Because I promised Haru that I would not say a word of it, just as she made Raizen's monks promise." Hiei explained.

"You still should've told us, Hiei." Kuwabara said, feeling anger ebb into his heart.

"It was not my place to tell." Hiei said, pushing away from the wall. "Get angry all you want but it will do nothing to change these circumstances. Now what happened to that rosary?"

"Neji and Urameshi got into a fight back in Karakura Town and he cut off the rosary during their fight. I thought it was strange how she reacted after that, and those bruises that appeared so suddenly." Kuwabara said.

Without a word Hiei vanished in an instant, scouring the village of humans for one, Hyuuga Neji.

"Hey, Kurama, did you know that Haruhi was pregnant?" Kuwabara asked.

Kurama looked at Kuwabara with wide eyes, surprised by the question. "No, I had no idea. Where did you hear this?"

"Neji told me."

"Whose child was it? His?"

"No. It…It was…" Kuwabara struggled with himself, knowing it was wrong to gossip but keeping such a thing to himself was killing him and he had to confide in someone he could trust. "It was Uchiha Sasuke."

Kurama was in shock. He never would have imagined that Haruhi and Sasuke would ever meet in secret for a romantic rendezvous.

"What of the baby?" Kurama asked.

"Miscarriage." was all Kuwabara could say, thinking it best to leave out the blacker secret of the whole thing. "Do you think Hiei knows?"

"It's hard to say what he knows."

* * *

It didn't take long to locate the Hyuuga with his Jagan eye, finding Neji walking down an empty street. In a flash, Hiei was in front of the Hyuuga and delivered a powerful punch across the face. It sent Neji reeling backwards, falling onto the ground.

"You…this is your fault." Hiei seethed, grabbing hold the front of Neji's shirt and pulling him up to punch him again. "You should have let things be! You should have stayed out of it! But now, now Haru's life is hanging on by a thread all because you couldn't keep your emotions in check like a true warrior!" Hiei dropped Neji to the ground who was staggering to get up onto his feet. "I hope you're satisfied. Killing her a second time."

"I didn't know." Neji said, wiping blood from his lip with the back of his hand.

"It's people like you that makes your kind unbearable to coexist with." Hiei said, "Those rosary beads were individually treated with healing spirit energy, and it had been the only thing capable of slowing the sickness for the doctors in Makai to find a cure."

"I didn't know."

"I went easy on you the first time because Haru stopped me, but this time there is nothing holding me back. So give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you now?"

"Nothing. Nothing is stopping you."

"You disgust me." Hiei said.

Hiei left Neji in the street with his grief. Picking himself up, Neji walked without much thought as he forced himself forward but unable to grasp the present. The only thing on his mind was the memory of Haruhi, laying in her own blood, half-dead.

* * *

It took ten hours for the operation to be over. Tsunade and her team of medics had to drain Haruhi of all the diseased blood, hardly leaving any normal blood as a transfusion was then put to action. With the diseased blood drained and plasma being transferred in its place, Tsunade was relieved to see the black bruises on Haruhi's body lighten. But she knew that this was only a temporary solution until she got down to the root of it and find a definite cure.

With an IV of plasma being fed into Haruhi's body, the fifth Hokage was moved to the ICU of the hospital where she would recuperate from the operation and hopefully awake in better health.

Word that the Godaime was now recovering spread quickly throughout the village and the villagers all sent their regards to Haruhi's family, even sending gifts of flowers and get-well cards. Haruhi's teammates visited whenever they could and her family visited daily for a week. And during that week since the operation, Haruhi had been in a coma, showing no signs of waking.

Ino's father, Yamanaka Inoichi, had come in to examine Haruhi's state of unconsciousness by delving into her mind to see if there were any blocks or complication, but found nothing out of the ordinary. And Haruhi's comatose state couldn't have come at a worse time, as Akatsuki made their move to attack Konoha at last.

* * *

Konoha was having another peaceful day in the warm sun. The villagers were all going about their day, unaware of the danger that lurked just outside their gates until it hit them without warning. Buildings were suddenly blown up by an unseen explosive and fires were set without a starting source.

As the citizens ran away from the ensuing attack in a panic it was immediately clear that their village was under siege.

Summoned beasts began to appear, adding onto the damage that was being down to the proud ninja village. Leveling buildings back down to their foundations and more. Konoha shinobis were quick to respond, but without a way to pinpoint where the attacker was coming from, they were basically running blind amongst all the chaos.

And the vibration of the ensuing attacks could not have been missed by the rookies of Konoha who all stopped to look up and see smoke rising from the central part of their village. Without a second thought, they all sprung to action.

Tsunade was staring grimly out at the village from her office window, knowing just who it was attacking her home.

_So he's finally here._ she thought, while two of her shinobis were kneeling behind her.

"Put out an emergency warning and call back Naruto!" Tsunade said, prepared to accept that her village was now a battlefield. "Evacuate all the villagers to safety!"

"Leave Naruto at Myobokuzen." said one of the two elders who entered Tsunade's office.

"What?" Tsunade said.

"According to Danzo, the leader of Akatsuki is heading the attack. And they're after Naruto." said the other elder.

"So what?" Tsunade said.

"I overlooked it last time, but this is different. Naruto is still a child! This is the man who killed Jiraya! If Naruto is defeated and the nine-tailed fox falls into their hands—" Tsunade had heard enough as she roughly grabbed both elders by the scruff of their robes, enraged by their one-sided view of Naruto. "Wh—what are you doing? Unhand us!"

"Who do you think you are? You can't treat him like a child forever! He has inherited the Spirit of Konoha! And he's growing up! He's going to surpass Jiraiya! He's not a hidden weapon to keep Konoha out of war! Uzumaki Naruto is one of the ninjas who protect this village!" Tsunade yelled into the faces of the elders before pushing them away in disgust. "Do you know what Jiraiya and Sarutobi and Chiyo of Sunagakure had that you don't? Faith! Just like my grandfather, the First Hokage, had faith in you and entrusted you with the village! Now it's your turn to have faith in these children and entrust it to them!"

Silence fell in the room until the elders both turned and quietly left the office. "Do as you like." the elder woman said just as Shizune came hurrying into the room.

"Shizune, did you find anything out?"

* * *

Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei were all in Haruhi's hospital room when the attack on the village occurred and within minutes injured civilians and shinobi were filling the rooms, lobby, and hallway.

"What the hell's going on out there?" Kuwabara wondered aloud.

"The village is under siege!" Kurama said.

"It's Akatsuki." Hiei said, having used his Jagan eye.

"We must stop them now!" Kurama said as Hiei was already a step ahead of him, opening the window and preparing to join in the fight.

"But what about Urameshi? She's still in a coma!" Kuwabara said.

"We have no choice but to leave her here!" Hiei said.

"But what if they attack the hospital?" Kuwabara asked in urgency.

"In that case, Kuwabara, stay here and help the hospital staff with the injured." Kurama said as he and Hiei jumped out through the window, heading towards the fight.

Kuwabara turned to look back at Haruhi who remained in a comatose state. _Why of all times does this have to happen? C'mon, Urameshi! Wake up! Wake up like that last time when we needed you most!

* * *

_

Shizune held out a small black cylinder to show Tsunade of her findings. "Look at this. It's a sort of receiver that picks up chakra signals. They were stuck all through Pain's body. According to Fukasaku, all six Pains had these pierced their faces and bodies."

"In other words, they all move according to these chakra signals they receive?" Tsunade said, "A receiver, eh? Maybe it's a way for them to transmit chakra between them."

"And this is responding right now. I'm sure this has something to do with the secret of Pain's strength. Once we have the information from the Interrogators, we can solve this!"

"According to the Information Bureau, they're looking for Naruto. Pain is the one who's invaded the village, no doubt about it. We'd better let Fukasaku know about this, too." Tsunade turned to the messenger frog that was sitting on her desk. "Be sure to tell him when you get Naruto!"

"Got it!" the frog said.

"Shizune, you tell the Interrogators what you've learned. Find out who Pain really is!"

"Right!" Shizune said.

"I want a Anbu Squad guarding Shizune! And send one to guard the Interrogators as well! Don't let him near them!"

"Right!" said the Anbu captain.

"But what about Haru-chan? She's still in a coma!" Shizune said.

"I have a feeling that Kuwabara will keep her safe. I'll be upstairs waiting for info and helping Katsuya with the wounded! Protect the village at all costs! Let's go!"

* * *

_Jin flew around the stadium again, flying high into the air and then coming down again at Haruhi._

"_Jin's coming down with his famous nose-dive descent! I'd say he's ready to begin!" Koto said, as Jin flew past Haruhi again. "Wha-? It's some kind of circling pattern! He's trying a distraction!"_

_Haruhi turned her body around only to be punched in the face. Quickly putting her left hand down on the floor, she maneuvered to kick Jin._

"_How 'bout a trade?" she said, as she swung her right leg, only to have Jin duck out. Haruhi rolled onto the floor._

"_Haruhi makes a valiant attempt, but she proves unable to compete with Jin's swift aerial attack!" said Koto._

"_I admit that one didn't have much of a chance." Haruhi said, rubbing her chin as she turned her head up to grin at Jin. "Nice punch though. This is gonna be fun."_

"_Haru's elbow and kick combination come from an almost impossible stance, nearly unheard of in any martial arts schools. I can't imagine any master teaching her that one!" said Koto._

"_We're a pair in a pod, Urameshi." Jin said, floating in the air. "Never wanting to do anything the way people tell us to. Even if we don't make sense! Better to be messy on your own then right under someone's watch. Am I right?" _

"_Well yeah. Why let some teacher get the credit? I figure I've been doing all right on my own so far." said Haruhi._

_The crowd began to again chant "Kill Haru, Kill Haru, Kill Haru!"_

"That's incredible!" Ichigo said, his eyes glued to the screen of Urahara's television in the living room of the Urahara house. After training endlessly, Urahara thought it was a good time for a break. "I—I had no idea Haruhi-san was so amazing, even back before I was even in junior high!"

"Haru is a special child, yes." Urahara said, lightly fanning himself.

"The way she fights at such a young age—it's incredible!" Ichigo said excitedly, as if watching old videos of Haruhi's fights in the Dark Tournament was the hottest show to watch.

"Her style back then was unorthodox and crude." Jin said, his hands folded behind his head, sitting next to Ichigo while Chuu was sitting on Ichigo's other side. Both demons had returned to help Ichigo with his training after reluctantly leaving Haruhi in the care of Konoha's medics.

"Yeah! C'mon, shiela! Beat that bloke 'til his bones turn ter jelly!" Chuu cheered.

"If ya don't remember, ya big lug, Haru wins the fight." Jin said, acting nonchalant and uncaring about the match that they were watching. "She even won the match against you."

"It was still a good fight ta remember!" Chuu said.

"Come to think of it," Jinta began, lying in the back since he's already seen the videos, "Everyone in this room here has lost a fight to nee-san. I'd be embarrassed to know that I got my ass kicked by a fourteen-year old girl."

Gloom was cast down on everyone in the room as the ugly truth revealed itself: They each lost to a fourteen-year old Haruhi.

Ichigo on the other hand was too preoccupied with watching the videos to notice everyone's sudden depression as he popped in another video.

"_Come on! At least let me stretch my muscles!" said Haruhi._

"_Ah, this is plenty great! You don't think I can fight either, do you? Well let me tell you something Sheila! I, uh, I'm like a master of drunken fighting!" Chu said, before taking a long swig of the whiskey and throwing the bottle aside. He walked up to the ring and began to climb up. "Suiken Technique—that's the official name I think. You get distracted by my irregular moves. Crap of craps it's bright out here!"_

"_Yeah wobbly, give me a break...So the tipsy fighting thing might be weird but I've still heard of it before. You better have somethin' else to make this a real challenge. I didn't come all this way to baby-sit a drunk." said Haruhi. _

"_Then wait a minute...You won't yabber that once I hit my groove. 'Course, I got to stumble into it first. We're going to enjoy this." said Chu._

_In the ring, Koto looked from one fighter to the other, her left hand raise. "Let the fight begin!" she announce, letting his hand drop. Chu's powers began to rise, as a strange aura surrounded him._

"_Watch carefully...I want to know what you think of my stumbling little feet." said Chu, as his movements suddenly became very fast, a flowing like liquid. _

"_What the—?" Haruhi tried to keep up with the movements with her eyes as Chu circled around her with his flowing speed._

"_Wow, people...I guess the loon has talent after all! His moves are so fast and bizarre I can't even tell where he is!" said Koto. _

_Haruhi focused in on her left side, and blocked Chu's first hit with her arms up. _

"_Have another conk!" said Chu, getting Haruhi in the stomach, sending her flying upwards._

"_Even from this killer view, I couldn't track Chu's strange moves. But I suspect we've missed some of Haru's fantastic agony. Let's double check with our new slow-motion Instant Replay feature!" Koto said, as all eyes were directed up to the giant screen that replayed the entire event in slow-motion. _

"_Yes! Chu actually gave five quick wallops, and then finished with a to-die for blow to the back of the neck! Amazingly painful, don't you think?" said Koto._

"Unreal! I can't believe that a regular human can take such a brutal beating!" Ichigo gapped. "Was she really that strong to use her actual, physical body for that level of fighting?"

"Duh." everyone said in unison.

"Haru-chan went through special training to be able to harness her spirit energy while still in her physical body." Urahara said, "Of course, before she reached that level she died a few years before then."

"What? Seriously?" Ichigo asked, looking back at Urahara. Jin and Chuu had also looked at the hat-wearing man with curiosity.

"You didn't know?" Urahara asked, receiving shaking heads as an answer. "Oh—how awkward."

"Hey, I just realized something…" Ichigo began, holding up another video. "Who took all these videos of Urameshi-senpai's fights? There're even videos of her with weird looking creatures. It's almost like you guys were stalking her or something."

"No, no, it's nothing like that!" Urahara said, "It's all strictly research for you to learn from observation!"

"How dumb do you think I am?" Ichigo retorted comically, pointing an accusing finger at Urahara while holding up the video tape. "Some of these tapes are dated years before I knew about shinigamis and hollows!"

"Orangy's got a point…" Jin said dryly.

"Yeah…come ta think of it, all these videos we've been watchin' are collective fights Urameshi's been in over the years." Chu said, "There're even ones from the Makai Tournament."

All three of them looked at Urahara with one thought in mind: **What a freak.**

The sliding screen door to the living room was forced open as a breathless, disheveled Botan stood before everyone with a frantic expression. "Konoha is under attack by Akatsuki!"

Immediately Jin and Chuu were on their feet and rushing out through the door. Even Urahara was on his feet, though he knew he couldn't leave, not when the date for Ichigo's departure to Seireitei was only two days away.

"Haruhi-san's village is being attacked?" Ichigo said, also getting to his feet and about to follow them outside but was stopped by Urahara. "What are you doing? Why are you stopping me?"

"This may sound cruel, Ichigo, but it's not our fight. And you have something else that's just as important that you need to do." Urahara said.

"But—"

"It's not your fight to get your hands dirty with."

"She's your niece, isn't she? She's your family!"

"I know, but it's not yours, nor my fight to get involved with."

Ichigo was about to retort back but seeing the look on Urahara's face, the pain of being unable to do anything, was obviously hard for him.

* * *

**AN: Sorry for this chapter's messiness. I was in a hurry to get it done and out of the way. Please leave a review so I know that there are still some faithful readers out there who want me to continue this story, or else...I might have to abandon it due to lack of feedback. :'( I hope that won't be the case.**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

(Konoha, two months before Pain attacks)

Genkai stood before the Rokudaime of Konoha, informing her that the Godaime, Haruhi, had sent her a message that she was doing well. But the message also carried unsettling news, thus was the reason behind Genkai's grim expression. Jiraiya stood to the side, leaning against the wall while Shizune stood loyally behind Tsunade. Tsunade laced her fingers together in front of her face as she looked at Genkai with an equally grim expression on her face. Her eyes slightly narrowed at the older woman and what news she had brought.

"Is what you say true?" she asked evenly.

Genkai took a moment before answering, "Yes."

"But—Genkai-sensei, how can you be so sure?" Shizune all but asked in a frantic manner.

"Haru's doctors in Makai have confirmed this, and I would not have heard if it were not for Haru's teammate, Hiei. He was concerned enough to ask me to persuade Haru to return home, but even I knew that girl is too stubborn. And when you've been around as long as I have, you tend to recognize the signs easily like it were written in large letters." Genkai said, "The symptoms, from what I understand, are difficult to notice at first, but with time, they become painfully obvious even to the untrained eye. The first stages are uncontrollable twitching of the ligaments, fatigue, slight dizziness, then comes the unexplainable tremors of the body.

"A strange black bruise will then appear on the skin, indicating the beginning of the second stage, followed by the dulling of the motor skills, and the dulling of the senses. The third stage then goes on with a fever, coughing up blood, and then finally…death."

Tsunade's hands clenched tightly together at the long list of slow suffering. "What stage?" she asked slowly, fearful of the answer.

"Close to—if not already in the second stage. But thanks to the rosary, it has slowed down the progression of the disease." Genkai said.

"Is there a cure?"

Genkai stared coolly back at Tsunade. "Ask Orochimaru."

"Are you serious?" Shizune asked in shock. "It was him? He made Haru-chan sick?"

"Not surprising, considering that we don't know what's on Haruhi's agenda, thus leaving us in the dark of her whereabouts and encounters." Jiraiya said.

"Haru has too much power, and despite the good she's done with it, it's too much for her body to handle and it's now eating away at her from the inside out." Genkai said, "She's a reckless girl sometimes, but she knows the dangers of the disease. She's been taking medicine for the last year and a half and the rosary she wears suppresses her powers enough to slow down the disease considerably."

"Where is Haru right now, do you know?" Tsunade asked.

Genkai shook her head. "All I know is that she is staying with a relative on her mother's side."

"It doesn't help that Haru isn't here. Wish there was some way of finding her." said Jiraiya.

Tsunade let out a stressful sigh as she leaned back in her chair. "None of this is to be released to the public. This will remain a secret between the four of us, understood?" she said.

The three nodded in silence.

"If word gets out that Haruhi is dying, it'll only bring evil eyes unto the village."

* * *

(Present Konoha)

Kakashi found himself fighting against two Pains at once. One had three faces and the other was able to control gravitational pull. The infamous Copy-nin was feeling in over his head as he struggled to get the upper hand on the two Pains. Ninjutsu was proving to be no good, even when combined with Taijutsu, it was a failure. What Kakashi needed was a way to get behind one of them without the other seeing.

"Rose Whip!"

One of the arms on the Pain with three faces was suddenly trapped in a tangle of a throne whip. Kakashi and the two Pains turned their heads to the owner of the whip to see Kurama holding onto the other end.

"It looks like you need some assistance, Kakashi-san." he said.

Kakashi was both surprised and relieved to see the young red-head genius Minamino Shuuichi during this crisis.

"Arigato, I gladly accept your assistance, Shuuichi-kun." Kakashi said as Kurama did a well-practiced acrobatic flip, landing slightly in front of Kakashi while still holding onto his whip. With one tug, the arm he was holding onto with the whip ripped off and tossed aside.

"Another has come to die." said Pain.

"Be careful, Shuuichi-kun, Pain has the ability to share ocular vision with each other." Kakashi informed.

"Then we must separate them from each other." Kurama said.

"My thoughts exactly." Kakashi said.

* * *

Blackness.

There was only blackness everywhere.

_Where am I?_

_What is this place?_

Then the blackness lifted and then a blinding white light chased away the dark.

_It's so bright…_

_What's that sound?_

_It sounds like water._

_The ground…_

_It's soft…_

_The air…it smells salty._

_I'm…at the beach?_

Haruhi was staring out at the ocean. High cliffs surrounding the beach. A natural barrier. Seagulls flying up near the cliffs and over the beautiful blue water, crying into the distance.

She stood still, staring out at the waves.

Salty wind blowing through her hair and clothes.

_How did I get here?_

She looked down at herself. She noticed she was wearing a white yukata and white obi. Her right hand and arm showing no signs of the black, painful bruise, only normal, healthy skin.

_Where was I before this?_

_Where did I come from?_

_I don't remember…_

_I don't know who I am._

"Once, every month, you would challenge me to a fight, testing your strength. And I'd kick your ass every time." came a deep, rumbling voice. Haruhi turned around to see the speaker, the scenery around her changing instantly to a dark room made of stone. No windows, only one door, and a single candle, being the only source of light. In the far end of the room, she could make a silhouette of someone sitting in a seat made of stone.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I was the former king before you took my place."

"What did I call you?"

"Who is your enemy, child?"

_My…enemy?_

"I don't understand."

"Have you come to move me from my throne, brat?"

"Move you…from your…throne? I don't under—" Haruhi paused, looking down to see she was now wearing a dark blue, long-sleeved shirt underneath a sleeveless yellow shirt and yellow pants. Along with black shoes that weren't meant for long walks but for single purpose usage. Such as…fighting. Her clothes already showing wear and tear.

"What's the matter? Afraid I'll beat you to death this time?"

"That's my line."

_What am I saying? Are these my words?_

"Is that so?"

Haruhi ran forward. Her right hand forming a fist as she pulls it back to prepare for a punch.

_My body—I have no control! But it's so familiar…these actions…these feelings._

Haruhi feels a sharp pain go through her body as she is thrown back. Her body hits and slides across the floor, blood trailing after her, smearing against the floor.

_It—it hurts!_

_It hurts so much!_

_Why am I getting back up?_

"Are you going to retreat, brat? Hide somewhere to lick your wounds?"

"I'm not done yet!"

_No! No I am done! I want to stop!_

Haruhi raises her right arm, her hand forming a gun as the tip of her index finger began to feel warm.

"Spirit Gun!" she screamed, and a high blast of energy shot out towards the wild-looking man.

_What…what was that?_

Haruhi lowered her arms and dropped to her knees, staring in disbelief at the giant hole she had made. The wild-looking stranger stood among the debris, unscathed.

"Are you beginning to remember now?" he asked, walking up to Haruhi and crouching down in front of her. "What is my name?"

Haruhi looked up to meet the man's gaze, but only met the clear blue sky. She looked ahead of herself to see a field of tall golden grass and then down at her hands. Her clothes had changed again, a tight black shirt with the sleeves stretching down to her knuckles. Her mid-riff was exposed and a familiar crest of a ghostly fire was tagged onto the left side of her chest. Her pants were secured with a belt around her hips. Many pockets running down each pant-leg and her feet were bare, the grass soft like a pillow beneath her soles.

Folded neatly in front of her was a white robe and a red cap with the kanji of fire on the front. Picking up both items, she stood up, staring at them with familiar curiosity.

_Where have I seen these?_

"The weight as a nation's leader is very heavy." came a voice. Haruhi looked up to see four men stood before her. Watching her.

"Do these belong to you?" Haruhi asked, holding the robe and hat out to them.

"They once did." said the man with the long black hair and red armor. "They now belong to the new Hokage."

"Ho…kage?" Haruhi repeated blankly, like a child who knew nothing.

A blank slate.

"That's right. The Hokage is someone who helps keeps his country and people safe." said the youngest looking man with spiky blonde hair and deep blue eyes.

"It is a difficult path, being Hokage." said the man with white hair and blue armor.

"Who are you?" Haruhi asked.

"We are your predecessors." said the eldest looking one, as he smoked a pipe. "Which makes you our successor. You are the Godaime Hokage, Leader of Konohagakure. Before that, you were, and are still known as the Spirit Detective. You have achieved a level no human has ever reached, thus earning many names. The most common of which is _The Great Protector._"

"How? How can I be such a person when I don't even know my own name?" Haruhi asked.

"Remember." The blonde one said, "Think hard. Try to remember yourself."

Haruhi lowered her eyes to look at the robe and cap. She closed her eyes, and tried to remember her lost identity.

"What is your name?" asked the eldest one.

Haruhi closed her eyes for a moment, taking in a moment for herself before opening them to find herself in an arena. She looked around the stadium. The bleachers were all empty. Not a soul in sight.

"Have you forgotten this place?" asked a deep voice that sent a terrible jolt through Haruhi. She turned around quickly to see a tall, intimidating looking man standing a few feet away from where she stood in the ring.

"Judging from your reaction you have not only forgotten this place, but you have also forgotten who _I_ am." he adjusted his dark glasses with his middle and ring finger. "How disappointing. Perhaps a bit of physical therapy is needed."

Without warning, Haruhi was suddenly kicked in the stomach, sending her in an arch form to crash into the bleachers. Winded, Haruhi struggled to lift herself up. Rubble and debris falling and being pushed off of herself.

_Why am I getting up again?_

_Why do I have this urge to hit him back?_

_Why do I want to fight?_

_Do I even know how to fight?_

"Are you starting to feel like your old self again? Is your blood beginning to boil just by looking at my face? Do you feel the resolve to kill me?"

_I…_

"Are you starting to remember now?"

Haruhi raised her right arm, aiming at the man only to see that she was back on the beach in the white yukata, facing the ocean.

"Who am I?" she whispered, tears stinging her eyes. "Who am I? WHO AM I?"

"Do you remember your fourth birthday?" asked a man, tall with black hair that stood at odd angles and was built with thick muscles. He wore an orange gi with a dark blue undershirt, a ghostly flame was printed upon the left side on the chest, and he also wore a pair of black boots. He looked familiar to Haruhi as he sat beside her on the sand. "Your kaa-chan dressed you up in a brand new kimono and all you wanted to do was go outside and play. I remember your kaa-chan getting angry at you for getting mud on your kimono because it had been raining that day and all you had to say was that your nii-san dared you to jump in a puddle."

"I'm sorry, I don't recall." Haruhi said, "I don't even know who you are."

"You don't remember me, huh? Well…I guess I can't really blame you for forgetting me. I have been gone for most of your life." he said.

"Are you saying you're my father?"

He smiled gently at her. "Yes. And I want you to know that I'm very proud of you, my little spitfire. It makes me glad to see that you've grown up well without me around."

Haruhi's eyes teared up and she leaned against the man, crying softly. She didn't know why but she felt relieved to hear those words from him. He wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders, hugging her to his side.

"Tou-chan…why did you leave us?" Haruhi asked.

"You were all in danger and I had to keep my family, and the world, safe. I had to fight so that you and your mother and your brother would all live happily."

"Tou-chan, are you dead?"

There was a moment silence before he spoke. "Yes. I am no longer alive. But don't worry, I don't regret it."

"How can you say that?" Haruhi asked, looking up at her father. "How can you act so nonchalant about being dead and no longer able to be with your family?"

"Haru-chan, there's so much I want to tell you, and so much more to ask. But unfortunately there isn't enough time for any catching up." he stood up and held out his hand to Haruhi who took it and was pulled up onto her feet. "You need to remember yourself, daughter, or else all will be lost for the future. Look deep inside your heart, search for the warmth there. Only then will you remember." he placed his hand atop Haruhi's head, making her see just how much larger this man before her was and it made her heart ache with longing she didn't understand.

BOOM.

"What was that?" Haruhi asked.

"The world is in chaos, the village is fighting back but they are losing. Your friend Naruto, he's fighting Pain all alone. Haru-chan, listen to me. Akatsuki isn't the only threat out there. Be on your guard, the true ring master behind Akatsuki has recruited someone who's strength far exceeds any enemy you've encountered in the past. This new opponent will be your biggest challenge yet."

"Naruto…"

Haruhi took a few steps towards the ocean, the cool water under her feet. As if a tree was growing with many branches with lush, green leaves sprouting under the sun, Haruhi began to remember herself. Her family, her village, her friends, her enemies, she began to feel the warmth inside her spread throughout her body. She turned to look back at her father, a tear falling down her cheek as she smiled at him.

"Tou-chan…thanks…for everything."

Her father grinned and gave her a thumbs up. "Do me proud, Haru. Find the strength within yourself by digging deep into your emotions."

Grinning back, Haruhi returned the thumbs up.

* * *

Kuwabara joined the squadron that was in charge of evacuating the civilians into the safe house within the rock-face of the Hokage monuments. With help from two medics, he was able to move Haruhi's body into the safe house with the others. He wanted to go out and fight Akatsuki and aid his Konoha comrades, but he felt a sense of duty to protecting the civilians, especially when Haruhi was still in a coma and that there were many young children present.

It had only been a few minutes since he and everyone in the safe house heard a loud explosion and he knew the worst case scenario had happened. He knew it was only a matter of time before he would have to take the stand to fight. In fact, he was more than ready to die to save the lives of his fellow Konoha villagers.

"What do you think has happened out there?" asked one of the shinobis in a low voice.

"Let's just assumed that the worst has happened." Kuwabara said, "So be prepared for a fight with Pain."

"Kuwabara-san," said one of the medics who was attending to the injured coming up to Kuwabara. "The plasma used for Haruhi-sama's transfusion…the bag is almost empty."

"Yeah, okay. So what's the emergency?" Kuwabara asked.

"That is the last bag of Haruhi-sama's blood-type. The rest is back in the hospital."

"What? Are you sure you didn't bring any spares?" Kuwabara asked.

"N-no, sir! In the hurry to evacuate the patients we overlooked bringing more plasma for her."

"What kind of blood does she need?" Kuwabara asked.

"O negative."

"I've got O positive. Isn't that close enough?" Kuwabara asked, becoming frantic.

"I-I'm sorry, but Haruhi-sama's blood-type is uncommon and difficult to come across. And if we were to perform a blood transfusion with another type of blood, her body will reject it and she'll die from septicemia."

Kuwabara looked around at the evacuees in desperation. "Who here has O negative blood?" he asked, looking at everyone. "Anybody? C'mon, if someone doesn't step up the Godaime will die!"

"Kuwabara-kun, calm down, please." said one of Kuwabara's peers, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I have O negative blood." Kuwabara looked to his right and was surprised to see Hyuuga Neji stepping forward. "Let the Hokage have my blood."

"Neji…" Kuwabara said, almost disbelieving. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'll let the medics transfer my blood to Haru." Neji said.

"I'm sorry, but you carry a kekkei-genkai and to conduct a transfusion would be too risky, no matter if you do have the same blood-type." said the medic. "It'd be better and safer if it were a family member."

"AH! Where's Kimiko-chan?" Kuwabara asked quickly, realizing that Haruhi's little sister was not within the safe-house.

* * *

Urameshi Kimiko had gotten caught within the explosion and was caught underneath a pile of rubble. Luckily she had Puu with her, who shielded her from the bigger debris. Unfortunately, Kimiko had also been near the center where Naruto was fighting the remaining three Pains.

She watched in awe as Naruto fought, barely able to keep up with her eyes on the fast moving action. She was so strongly reminded of her sister's fights during the Dark Tournament, but the main difference was that Haruhi's opponents were demons, not zombie puppets. She wanted to cry, but because she was paralyzed with fear, she could do nothing more than watch.

_Nee-chan…I wish you were here. Please! Help Naruto-senpai! Help save the village!_ Kimiko thought.

"Neee-chaaan!"

* * *

The two medic-nins who were taking care of their Godaime were shocked to their core when Haruhi's eyes unexpectedly snapped open. And to add onto their surprise, Haruhi sat up straight in bed as if just waking up from a nap. Blinking a few times, Haruhi took a moment to take in her surroundings, wondering where she was until she spotted the two medics who were pressed against the wall in sheer shock at what they were witnessing.

"Huh? Where am I?" she asked.

"Y-You're in the safe house within the Hokage monument." said the first medic.

"What? Why?" Haruhi asked, perplexed. "That's strange, I could've sworn that I was still in Karakura-chou with my uncle."

"N-No, Godaime-sama, you were brought back here after falling severely ill. Don't you remember?" said the second medic.

"I remember getting sick but I don't remember coming here." Haruhi said, "Hmm…AH! I remember now! I was fighting Neji before that jerk broke my rosary and after that everything had gone black!"

"Y-Yes. Well…the village…is under siege now by Akatsuki and the villagers have been evacuated into here."

"Akatsuki's attacking the village now? Why didn't you say so earlier, idiots!" Haruhi yelled as she threw back the covers and jumped to her feet, shocking the medics once more as they were perplexed as to how their Godaime was able to recover so quickly after nearly dieing.

"AH! Godaime-sama, wait!" they called out when Haruhi suddenly ran out the door.

"How strange…I never would have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes."

"Well she's Hokage for a reason…"

Running through the crowd of the villagers, Haruhi passed them with a speed far surpassing what the eye could see, leaving everyone in her wake wondering where the sudden gust of wind came from. Within seconds, the hatch door to the outside was open.

Kuwabara had paused when he noticed the door was mysteriously open, and taking Iruka, along with two other shinobi, went out to investigate. Kuwabara could sense the spirit energy and followed it out towards the outside, and for a moment he was blinded by the bright light of day. But once his and his three comrades' eyes adjusted to the light, their gazes were met with the devastation left behind from the fight. Their beautiful village was now a wasteland with a giant crater in the very center.

"The village…it's—it's gone!" gasped Iruka.

"Oh man! This is worse than I thought!" Kuwabara said.

"Yeah, you're tellin' me. This is really bad for us." said Haruhi.

All four shinobi looked to their right and all gasped in unison at the sight of Haruhi in perfect health.

"U-Urameshi? What the—? I can't believe it! You're okay!" Kuwabara exclaimed.

"Hokage-sama!" said Iruka.

"Hokage-sama is alive!" said the other shinobi, wiping tears from his eyes with his sleeve.

"Thank goodness! We're saved!" said the other other shinobi.

"What d'ya think, Urameshi? Can you handle it? I mean—you've been out cold for a week." Kuwabara said.

Haruhi looked at Kuwabara with surprise. "You're kidding me! A whole week?"

"Well, yeah, not to mention you've had a lot of blood transfusions, too!" Kuwabara said.

"R-really? Well…I'm okay now, so there's nothing to worry about." Haruhi said, dismissive of her near-death experience.

"Please, Godaime-sama, you've been out for a week. Maybe you should just leave it to Naruto?" Iruka suggested. "You may not be at full health yet."

Haruhi smiled in confidence. "Nah, I'll be fine. Take care of the villagers." she said before vanishing from their sights in a blink of an eye.

"Amazing. So fast." said Iruka.

"Same ol' Urameshi. Never one to miss a good fight." Kuwabara chuckled. _Get a punch in for all of us, Urameshi._

In an instant, Haruhi was seen standing between Pain and a weakened Naruto, both equally surprised to see the Spirit Detective standing before them.

"So another shows up to die." said Pain.

"Haru-nee…y-you're okay…" Naruto said.

"Naruto, leave this to me." Haruhi said.

* * *

**AN: Again, this chapter has been rushed. I feel like I'm just shoving my way through this story because I wanna hurry up and move on. Already I have ideas for the next installment of this story but I can't do anything yet until I've finished this one. It's getting harder to motivate myself to continue with this story but thankfully I have the Naruto mangas as references to keep myself from wandering away from the main plot of my story. Hope it doesn't bore you guys if you've already read ahead to the latest chapters of the Naruto series, I'm trying to work as fast as possible but I still feel like no one is reading my stories. **

**Please give me reviews! Don't just think that someone else will write a review because it starts up a chain reaction and everyone starts to think the same and pass it on to the next reader. Just review telling me if you like or don't like my stories!  
**


	16. Extra Chapter 1 part 1 of 2

Extra Chapter 1 part 1

(Six months after Naruto went off to train with Jiraiya and after Haruhi and Sasuke both left the village on their own pursuit of power)

"Neh, neh, Ero-sennin, are we lost?" Naruto asked, following behind Jiraiya through a thick, rocky terrain. The weather wasn't hot, nor was it cold, it was just an uncomfortable warm. And the sky was a deep purple that had a constant electrical storm that Naruto and Jiraiya were traveling under for the past three days.

Jiraiya was hopelessly following a map that looked nothing like the terrain they were traveling in. It also didn't help for the fact that Naruto was feeling anxious about their surrounding, especially since he kept feeling like they were being watched, yet he couldn't sense anything.

"OW!" Naruto grunted after colliding into Jiraiya's back and falling backwards onto his butt. "A little warning would be nice, Ero-sennin!"

"What's that?" Jiraiya asked, looking over his shoulder, "What're you doing on the ground? Get up, we're here." Naruto crawled onto his knees and looked over the rocks to a canyon of stone spires with hundreds of windows, and just below were, at most, fifty bald men, all wearing the same uniforms of those who were monks, fighting a single person with long black hair.

"Ah!" Naruto exclaimed as he recognized the single fighter. "It's Haru-nee! Haru-nee!" Naruto called, getting Haruhi's attention. Haruhi did a perfect split-kick, knocking back two monks before looking up the cliff.

"Ooiii! Naruto! Jiraiya-baka!" Haruhi called up, waving at them. "'Bout time you guys got here! Come down here and we'll have lunch or somethin'!"

"All right! Food!" Naruto whooped, leaping over the edge and sliding down the side of the rocky cliff with Jiraiya right behind him. "Haru-nee! How have ya been?" Naruto asked as he reached the bottom and practically skipped up to Haruhi. A wide grin on his face.

"I've been great!" Haruhi replied, giving a thumbs-up with a bandaged hand. Naruto paused to take in Haruhi's appearance. Her forehead was wrapped, her right ankle and wrist had splints, and no doubt there was more under her clothes.

"You look terrible, Hokage-chan." Jiraiya said bluntly.

"Oh, these? I just had my monthly round with Raizen." Haruhi laughed, "Almost beat the ghost outta me this time!"

"That's not something you should laugh about, is it?" Naruto wondered, unsure of whether it was okay to laugh or not.

_If only it were a laughing matter._ the monks all thought in unison, a heavy atmosphere over them while Haruhi continued to laugh.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

"So another sheep comes to the slaughter." said Pain.

Haruhi merely smirked in Pain's direction as she sized up his power. Without moving her gaze away from Pain, she reached back with one hand and with her palm facing up, she flicked it upwards and the metal rods shot out of Naruto, freeing him from the ground.

"Naruto, you did a great job fighting off Pain, but leave the rest to me." Haruhi said without looking back at Naruto.

"Wh—!" Naruto got up onto his feet as fast as he could, staggering a bit and forced to widen his stance to keep from falling. "You can't be serious in taking this bastard on your own! You've been sick this past week!"

"I'm fine, Naruto. Just trust me." Haruhi said.

"But—"

"Listen, while I was in the coma, my consciousness had crossed over to limbo and I couldn't remember who I was or about the people I knew. But then…my dad appeared, and gave me the courage to move forward. And with his word of encouragement, I woke up fully healed and suddenly I came to realize a power that has been slumbering within me all this time. So I'll tell you again, Naruto: Just trust me." Haruhi removed the top layer of her shirt and tossed it aside, revealing that she had been wearing a skin-tight black shirt underneath with the sleeves reaching to her knuckles.

"Alright, Haru-nee. I'll trust you." Naruto said, "But if things start to look ugly for you, I'll jump in to help."

"Heh. Believe me, you won't be needed." Haruhi said. Naruto nodded his head before leaving the clearing and out of the crater to stand by on the rubble of a destroyed building where he looked down upon Haruhi and Pain, waiting to see Haruhi reveal her sleeping power.

"You ready for this, Pain?" Haruhi asked, the air suddenly becoming thicker and hotter as the rubble, dirt and rocks began to shake and rattle, disturbed from some unknown force.

Pain remained silent as he watched his new opponent with an intense gaze, watching for any subtle movement or change. From not too far from the scene, Kurama and Hiei were watching, waiting to see what the Spirit Detective was going to do.

"Do you sense that pressure? It's so heavy with Reiki" Kurama said.

"Yes. It's obvious that Haru has something up her sleeve and judging from the change in the air it'll be something big." said Hiei.

"But do you think she'll be all right? She did just awaken from a coma after all."

Hiei smirked, "As if a mere coma will stop her from surprising us."

Without a word, Haruhi flash-stepped out of sight, leaving behind an after image of herself before suddenly appearing behind Pain and landed an aerial round-house kick to the back of Pain's head. The force of the kick sent Pain flying forward. In another show of her superior speed, Haruhi raced ahead of Pain and kicked him upwards towards the sky. Again she flash-stepped into the air above Pain and with her fists together, she struck down upon his head, sending the Akatsuki member crashing into the earth.

The surviving shinobis all watched in amazement, unable to believe their eyes at what they were witnessing. Their Godaime, who was just recently in a coma, was awake and beating Pain as if he were nothing more than a rag doll. None could deny that Naruto's battle was epic and beyond their expectations, but even he struggled with the last Pain while Haruhi handled him as if it were nothing more than a simple game.

_Unreal…she's—done it again! She's much stronger than before!_ Naruto thought as he watched in awe.

Haruhi landed a few feet away from Pain who was picking himself up from the crater he had created. His Rinnegan stare fixed upon her.

"You have great power, as expected from Konoha's Great Protector. But can you defy gravity?" Pain asked. Haruhi suddenly felt a strong pull from her belly button, her feet beginning to drag across the dirt as she was being pulled towards Pain.

"Wh-what the—?" Haruhi braced her feet, trying her best to keep herself from being dragged forward against her will, but she quickly found the pull too strong. A black metal rod appeared from within Pain's right sleeve, sharpened like a sword as the intention of it's use was more than obvious as Haruhi was dragged closer.

"Your resistance is admirable, but it will do you no good in the end." said Pain as the pull became stronger and Haruhi was hurtling forward towards Pain, his weapon pointed straight at her heart.

"Haru-nee! Look out!" Naruto cried out.

Only an inch away from death, Haruhi grasped the blade with her bare hand and yanked it aside as she outstretched her right palm and released a powerful reiki blast point-blank at Pain's face. The blast sent Pain flying back into the side of the crater, followed by Haruhi who assaulted him further with a right hook into his solar-plexus, forcing all the air out of his lungs. Haruhi punched him again across the face with a left-hook before pulling back her right fist, infused with an energy blast.

"This ends now!" Haruhi said, and then released her attack upon Pain as both of them were consumed by a blinding light, the force of the explosion made the earth tremble beneath everyone's feet.

"Amazing, she managed to end the fight in less than five minutes." said Kurama.

"It is impressive, but the real battle is about to begin." said Hiei, "The Master puppeteer is next."

As soon as the smoke cleared all that was left of Pain was his broken, lifeless body. And standing over the defeated Pain stood Haruhi.

"Pain is…dead."

"He's dead! Pain is dead!"

"Banzai! Banzai! Banzai!"

"The Godaime defeated the last Pain!"

"Godaime!"

Naruto rejoined Haruhi on the battlefield, his cerulean gaze looked at the defeated Pain and then to Haruhi, whose back was to him. The cheering from above echoed through the canyon crater and Naruto couldn't help but wonder why Haruhi would step into his fight. Without warning, Haruhi's legs gave out and if it weren't for Naruto, her face would have met the ground completely.

"Haru-nee! You alright? Hey!" Naruto called as he held Haruhi's upper half up.

"Sorry, I guess I'm not at a hundred percent just yet." Haruhi said as she managed a weak smile for Naruto.

"Haru!" Kurama said as he and Hiei appeared from where they had been standing by from the ruins and came to Haruhi's side. Kurama took Haruhi from Naruto, supporting her weight against him.

"Listen, Naruto," Haruhi began as Kurama slung one of her arms around his neck for better support. "It's not over yet. I'm sure you've figured it out, too, right?"

"Yeah," Naruto nodded, going over to Pain's body and pulling out one of the black metal rods and then stabbing himself in the arm with it. Instantly he could sense where the chakra was coming from and turned in that direction. "Leave the rest to me, Haru-nee. You just focus on getting better."

Haruhi gave him the thumbs up. "Good luck, Naruto."

Naruto returned the thumbs up before heading out in the final Pain's location. Right after Naruto's departure Haruhi finally collapsed completely.

"I knew it, your body only responded because of the danger that was present. Now that its passed, you no longer have the strength to even stand." Kurama said.

Haruhi chuckled tiredly, "Sorry guys. Guess I…overdid it again." she said before passing out.

_The amount of power she had been radiating earlier has now vanished completely._ Hiei thought, _What exactly are you, Haru?_

* * *

Victory for Konoha was assured when the dead were suddenly awakening back to life and everyone held their breaths as they all awaited for their new savior, Uzumaki Naruto, to return to them alive. When the promised hero did indeed return upon the revived Kakashi's back, cheers broke out among the villagers as they welcomed their hero. And Naruto's dream was finally realized. He was finally recognized among the villagers.

Though there were still many casualties from the destruction of the village, all were in high spirits as they set to work on rebuilding their home. Within the center of the camp stood erect the tent that harbored the two unconscious Hokages. Both Tsunade and Haruhi were recovering their depleted chakra.

"She used Katsuyu to protect the village and she's been unconscious ever since. I don't know when she'll wake up." said Sakura, having explained Tsunade's situation to Naruto and Kakashi who came to see how the two Hokages were doing. "Haruhi-sama fell unconscious shortly after defeating Yahiko. Shuuichi-senpai said that she just needs more time to recover after exerting herself from waking up so suddenly from the coma."

"She woke up from her coma?" Kakashi asked, surprised from the news. This being the first time hearing it.

"Yeah, she stepped in the middle of my battle with Pain when he had me pinned down by those chakra rods." Naruto said, "She was amazing, beating him in a minute like it were nothing."

"It really was amazing, but it did more harm than good to her body." Sakura said.

_Tsunade-baa…Haru-nee…_ Naruto thought.

* * *

Elsewhere, a meeting was being held with the Konoha elders and the Daimyo of the Fire Nation as they discussed the matter of state and what their next move should be. Among the Daimyo and his cabinet of advisers, along with Koharu and Homura, were Danzo, an Anbu, and Nara Shuukaku were also present at the meeting.

"We plan to continue working with the other countries against the threat posed by Akatsuki." said Homura.

"After what's happened to the village," began one of the Daimyo's vassals, "The land of Fire will put every effort into getting it rebuilt. First we'll have to come up with a budget, and consider the strain on the other countries."

"There's something else we should consider first." said Danzo, silencing the room, "Who will be the next Hokage?"

_So it's come to that…_ Shuukaku thought, uneasy by the presence of Danzo at the meeting table.

"Can we not wait until Tsunade or Haruhi have recovered?" asked the Daimyo.

"My lord, Tsunade and Haruhi are both still in a coma." said Koharu, "We cannot decide on a plan when we don't know when they will wake up. Besides, they are both partially responsible for Konoha's destruction."

"I'd thought to choose Jiraiya, I liked him, but he's now gone. Who shall we choose?" asked the Daimyo.

"Well…" Danzo began but was quickly cut off by Shuukaku.

"I nominate Hatake Kakashi!"

"Oho! Son of the White Fang, eh?" said the Daimyo, amused by the idea. "Yes, why not? What do you all think?"

"He's well known, powerful, respected…"

"But don't you think he's too young?"

"Haruhi was only fourteen when she became Hokage…"

"Who was his teacher?"

"The Yondaime." Homura answered.

"The Yondaime was Jiraiya's pupil, and Jiraiya was the pupil of the Sandaime…There's no problem then." said the Daimyo.

"The Sandaime's teachings have as good as destroyed the village!" Danzo said, angered to have been overlooked by everyone. "Akatsuki's leader, the man who destroyed the village, was once Jiraiya's pupil. This is the result of sympathizing with other countries and giving them power! That sort of thinking is weak! That weakness led to Suna's betrayal! And allowed Orochimaru's plan to destroy Konoha! It led to the formation of Akatsuki! And to Sasuke, who left Konoha to pursue his own secret purpose!

"What kind of Hokage do we need now? One who can out an end to this wretched situation, who can bring change to the ninja world and reinforce the laws that govern us! That man is me! Not some weak woman whose compassion clouds her judgment, nor a gifted child who escaped death! What we need is a true leader!"

"Maybe we should let Danzo take care of things, my lord."

"We can't let his fanaticism—" Shuukaku began but was cut off by the Daimyo.

"All right, it's decided," the Daimyo began. "Danzo, you will be the seventh Hokage."

_Damn! This is bad news!_ Shuukaku thought.

* * *

Messenger birds from all around continued to arrive with scrolls carrying urgent messages from the other nations. Many declaring their aide to help the village while some contained more pressing news.

While Sakura and Naruto were out wandering through the ruin of their village together with Kakashi where they met up with old acquaintances like Inari and Tazuna from the Wave country, messengers from the Cloud country arrived, seeking an audience with the Hokage.

They were, however, disappointed in learning that both Hokages were still out of commission.

"They're…unconscious?"

"I am the Hokage's aide, I will take the letter." said Shizune.

"If you don't know when they'll wake up then I must speak to whoever is in charge for the meantime. I must have an answer right away. It's quite urgent."

"But…" Shizune hesitated, searching for the right words.

"Those two are no longer Hokages," came a voice from outside the tent, grabbing both kunoichis' attention as Danzo entered the tent with his two Anbu. Kurama and Hiei, who had been keeping guard outside, were standing within the entrance on their guard as their trust with Danzo was nonexistent. "I am the new Hokage. I will take that letter."

Shizune, Kurama, and Hiei were all shocked to hear such news coming from the despised man's mouth as he took the letter. Reading it's content he looked up at the messenger from Cloud.

"Sasuke, eh? I had a feeling it would come to this." he said.

"What is your answer?" asked the messenger.

* * *

"Hey! Naruto! Sakura!" called Kiba as he and Akamaru caught up to Team Seven. "Listen! Tsunade and Haruhi have both been dismissed as Hokage!"

"What?" Naruto said in shock while Sakura and Kakashi both displayed their surprise on their faces.

"The Shichidaime is some guy named Danzo. I don't know him but apparently he's pretty shady!" said Kiba.

"Danzo?" Sakura gasped.

"I have a bad feeling about this." said Kakashi.

"That's not the only thing. The new Hokage has given permission to dispose of Sasuke as a missing-nin." said Kiba.

"What the hell do you mean?" Naruto demanded.

"I don't know myself!" said Kiba.

"They're not willing to wait for Tsunade or Haruhi to recover. It's not surprising." said Kakashi, "And it's true that Sasuke is a missing-nin. The usual punishment for that is death. Its only because Tsunade was so lenient that he hasn't been killed yet."

"I'm…going to go see Danzo." Sakura said, her blood now boiling.

"Wait, Sakura. Storming in there and yelling at him won't change a thing." said Kakashi.

"But Tsunade-sama and Haruhi-sama both haven't woken up yet! It's not fair!" said Sakura, "And then there's Sasuke! I can't stand by and let this happen!"

"I'm going, too!" said Naruto.

"Calm down, both you. You have to stay cool-headed or it'll just make things worse." said Kakashi, "Danzo knows you'll react like this, and with both our greatest allies out cold, you won't stand a chance. I know you can't just leave it at that when it comes to Sasuke. The jounins may not have voted yet, but Danzo is still Hokage for the time being. One wrong move and you could get thrown in jail."

"I don't care! I'm going!" said Naruto.

"Me, too!" said Sakura.

"Naruto, you have the Kyuubi within you, and Danzo wants nothing more than to keep you within the confines of the village. You'll be playing right into his hand and then you won't be able to find Sasuke. So stay calm." said Kakashi.

* * *

"Gah! Urameshi!" Kuwabara gasped, finding Haruhi sitting up in her futon when he came in to check on her. Kurama was pouring her a cup of water while Hiei was standing off in the corner of the tent. "Y-you're awake again!"

"Hey, how about keeping it down to a fog horn level?" Haruhi said, acting like her usual self as she accepted the cup of water from Kurama.

"So uh…how do you feel?" Kuwabara asked, coming to sit beside Kurama at Haruhi's side.

"I'm feeling pretty good, like I just woke up from a really good nap." Haruhi said, "Although, I can't help but think that I've missed something very important. I should probably be feeling more worried, huh?"

"You should. While you were unconscious Danzo was appointed Hokage and as his first act, he has given permission to dispose Sasuke as a missing-nin." said Kurama.

"You're kidding me!" Haruhi said, looking wide-eyed at Kurama. "That dried up old geezer did that?"

"Haru, listen. It's imperative that you keep a low profile right now. If he finds out that you're conscious again, he'll do whatever it takes to keep you away from him while he heads out to the Five Kage Summit." Kurama said, "And to be honest, it's best if you rest here and recover your strength for now."

"A Five Kage Summit? You mean…the five Kages are all meeting?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yes, which means that despite the circumstances, Haru needs to make it to that meeting no matter what." Kurama said.

"Hey, have you forgotten that she passed out only seconds after beating Pain?" Kuwabara whispered to Kurama. "What if she passes out again along the way to the meeting? Then what?"

"I don't like it either, but if what Shuukaku-san said is true, then we can't trust Danzo to make decisions on behalf of the village." Kurama whispered back. "It's not as if we have much of a choice here, Kuwabara."

"I can hear you, y'know." Haruhi said, and both Kurama and Kuwabara knew they had been caught red-handed. "And I agree with Kurama, we can't entrust the village's future to a man who believes blood needs to be shed in order to achieve complete control."

"You sound like you know the guy pretty well." Kuwabara said.

"No, I've only met the guy on a few rare occasions, but each time I just got a really bad feeling from him. He's a fanatic when it comes down to the way the village should be lead with an iron fist and that the weak should be taken out so that the strong may become stronger. All in all, that man is dangerous and needs to be stopped." Haruhi said, moving the covers aside and moved to get up.

"Ah! Wait, Urameshi! I don't think you should be getting up so soon!" Kuwabara said, flailing his hands about.

"Please, Haru-chan, it's best if you stay here and rest." said Shizune.

"Let her go," said Hiei, surprising everyone. "Haven't we learned from the past that nothing can stop Haru once she's made a decision?"

Haruhi smiled at Hiei as she got up onto her feet while Kurama and Kuwabara shared a look of defeat before standing up, too. Shizune sighed in defeat, knowing that there was nothing she could do to stop them.

"Anyways, where will the meeting take place?" Kuwabara asked.

"In the Land of Iron." Haruhi said.

"Well then, it's a good thing I caught you before you even began packing!" came a familiar voice as everyone turned to look at the entrance into the tent. Before them stood Urahara Kisuke and behind him were Atsuko and Kimiko, Haruhi's uncle, mother, and little sister.

"Ji-san? When did you get here?" Haruhi asked.

"Just now," Urahara said cheerfully.

"Why do you have a tissue stuffed up your nose?" Haruhi asked.

"Because your mother was kind enough to greet me with an unexpected punch to the face!" Urahara said, keeping his tone light and merry despite the fact that his nose was throbbing painfully.

"It was only fair considering you never call or write to us." Atsuko said as she pushed her brother aside and walked up to Haruhi and hugged her daughter. "Oh, I'm just so glad you're alive, Haru. I've been so worried about you."

"I'm sorry, kaa-chan." Haruhi said, right before she was smacked upside the head by her mother. "OW! What the hell?"

"That was for worrying me so damn much! You and your brother—leaving the village on a whim—not at all letting me know where you're at or how you're doing—it's just like how your father was before he died and leaving me alone to raise three children! Not once do you ever consider how I feel about your impulsive actions! Honestly! I'm just thankful that Kimiko managed to not pick up on your bad habits!"

Everyone in the tent all sweat-dropped at Atsuko's ranting.

"Again, I'm sorry!" Haruhi said, trying to appease her mother. "How many times do I have to say it before you'll forgive me?"

"Man, and I thought I had family issues." Kuwabara said to Kurama who only nodded his head once in agreement.

"Listen, kaa-chan, I have to go to the Five Kage Summit meeting to prevent some major catastrophe, but I'll come back after that, I promise!" Haruhi said.

"Oh no you won't!" Atsuko yelled, making Haruhi and her friends tense up. "I know you well enough to see through your little act! You may have slid by in the past but not this time, missy! This last incident I nearly lost it when you were hospitalized because of some disease. And just because you've managed to defeat Pain and snap out of your coma doesn't mean that you're in any condition to head off for another fight! Got that?"

"But this is really important! If we don't get there before Danzo, who knows what'll happen!" Haruhi argued, trying in vain to persuade her hot-headed mother.

"You've been dismissed as Hokage by the Daimyo, Haru, so that means that this whole Kage meeting doesn't concern you anymore! You may as well accept that and stay here in the village where you can rest and recover from that life threatening disease that nearly killed you!"

"But I'm better now, kaa-chan!"

"That doesn't mean you're cured, Haru!"

"Ah! Speaking of cures!" Urahara intervened, taking the opportunity to get in between the two and held up a vile that contained an orange liquid.

"What's that?" Kuwabara asked.

"The last time Haru-chan was in Karakura-chou, I had taken the opportunity to take a sample of her blood. Since then I've been working on a cure and—TA DA!—all my hard work paid off and I found a cure!" Urahara said.

"AH! Really? You made a cure?" Haruhi asked, happy for the good news.

"Yup! We just need to inject it directly into your blood stream so that—"

"Inject? As in with a needle?" Haruhi asked.

"Well, of course." said Urahara.

"Can't I just drink it?"

"It won't be as effective that way."

Haruhi showed her discomfort of the idea of having a needle stuck inside her as she in the past, showed her dislike of needles and hospitals.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of a little shot." Urahara said.

"N-no!" Haruhi said.

"Well then, have a seat, this'll be quick."

"Can this wait until after the Kage meeting?"

"Nope. The sooner the better. Besides, what if the disease mutates? It'll kill you faster if you don't take the shot now."

"I'll take that risk. The meeting is more important. Hey! What are you guys doing?" Haruhi asked when Kurama and Kuwabara and even Hiei were holding down the Spirit Detective to the floor. "Let me go you guys!"

"You might be willing to risk the chance of getting sick again, Haru, but we aren't!" Kurama said.

"This is for your own good, Urameshi!" said Kuwabara.

"This isn't necessary!" Haruhi said, struggling harder when she saw Urahara prepare the needle. "Really! I feel fine!"

"Quit being such a child!" Hiei said.

"Alright, here we go." Urahara said, and with Haruhi's teammates' help, held Haruhi down as he stuck the needle into her arm and injected the cure into her blood.

Atsuko sighed, "She's just like her father. Just the sight of needles and they both freak out."

"Nee-chan...of all things to be afraid of..." Kimiko sighed.

* * *

**AN: Thanks for being patient. If any of you have noticed, I've changed the rating of my story to M because the future chapters will be getting more violent and there might be possible mature contents. I'm also a bit miffed that no one's been giving me any reviews what-so-ever and it makes me wonder if anyone is really enjoying this story I've been working hard on. So please, from one fanfic lover to another, please review!**


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

"We've been waiting for you, Kazekage-sama." said a man at the entrance into the meeting hall. "I am the leader of the Land of Iron. I am Mifune."

Gaara lowered the scarf that covered his mouth and nose from the cold as the snow fell freely from the sky. "Nice to meet you, I am Gaara, the Kazekage."

Beside Gaara were his two siblings, Temari and Kankuro. "Oh man its cold!" Kankuro complained, "The weather here is the complete opposite to the Land of Wind."

"Please come in, I'll have some tea set out for you." said Mifune, leading the way inside the fortress. As Gaara and his siblings followed Mifune inside, Gaara kept in mind the message he had received from Puu, Haruhi's strange pet, who delivered a letter from the young Hokage just as he and his siblings were entering the Land of Iron. The contents of the letter were short, but to the point.

_Don't trust the Hokage, Danzo._ It read, and though it bore no seal, Gaara had no doubt that it was from Haruhi, for who else in the world possessed a Spirit Beast who could only say "Puu"?

* * *

Elsewhere, Naruto, Kakashi, and Yamato were just then entering the Land of Iron and Naruto sneezed aloud.

"It just got so cold all of a sudden!" Naruto said as he shivered.

"Shh! We want to remain undetected." said Yamato who was in the lead.

* * *

Not far ahead of Naruto and his two teammates was the Raikage and his two bodyguards who were coming to a halt when they sensed their comrades coming to meet them.

"We have returned from Konohagakure." said the busty blonde Samui, as she and her two teammates greeted the Raikage with a bow.

"How did it go?" asked the Raikage.

"Samui…you've been followed." said the Cloud-nin, "Come out, Konoha dogs!"

Naruto, Kakashi, and Yamato all came out of their hiding place and appeared several feet away from the group.

"Damnit! You've gotta be kidding me!" said Kamui, pissed that Naruto had been able to follow them.

"Boss…that's Hatake Kakashi, the one on the right." said the other cloud-nin.

"Hmph! I know. Did the Hokage send you, Hatake Kakashi?" asked the Raikage.

"No…We have come to ask a favor of you." Kakashi said, "Uzumaki Naruto of Konohagakure, wishes to speak with you."

"Don't you think that's a bit rude? You didn't ask ahead for an audience, and we're on our way to a meeting." said the cloud-nin.

"I'm well aware of that." said Kakashi.

"Very well. Spit it out, kid." said the Raikage.

Naruto took a moment to collect his thoughts before speaking. "I want you to stop Sasuke's…Uchiha Sasuke's execution." Silence filled in the space between the ninjas for a moment. "I know it's a lot to ask…but I have to try! Sasuke is my friend! I can't just sit by and watch him be killed! And I don't want him to be the cause of a war between Konoha and Kumo! I don't want either of us to get caught up in revenge!"

"Let's go." said the Raikage, having heard enough.

"I'm begging you!" Naruto said, dropping to his knees and bowing his head to the Raikage in a last ditch effort. "I don't want anyone else to get killed for revenge! All Sasuke ever thought about was revenge! It consumed and changed him! He was driven mad by revenge! He's not the same guy I knew anymore! I don't want that to happen to anybody else! I don't want people from Konoha and Kumo to be killing each other! So please…!" Naruto begged with all his might and heart, digging his forehead into the snow as tears fell from his eyes.

"I will kill Sasuke." said the Raikage. "It's up to you to make sure it stops there!"

"When you went after Hyuuga's Byakugan, Konoha never did anything to retaliate. Your actions could have provoked a war, but we swallowed our bloody tears in order to prevent that. Don't forget that you exist because of our precious sacrifice." said Yamato.

"This young ninja before you," Kakashi began, "May not be skilled at this, but he is begging you…for the sake of both Konoha and Kumo. Raikage-sama, as one of the Kages, what is your opinion of this?"

"A ninja should not be so quick to bow before another!" said the Raikage harshly, "Ninjas respect action and strength! There should be no compromise between ninjas. The history of the human race is a history of war! Ever since the three Great Ninja Wars—every country—every village has fought for the strongest techniques. The weak will be crushed. That is the inescapable truth of the ninja world! Akatsuki will be internationally wanted criminals, then the whole world will be after Sasuke, not just me. You beg for mercy of a criminal, for the safety of your friends, in the ninja world, we do not call that friendship!"

The Raikage began to walk past Naruto and the two other Konoha ninjas to continue towards the Summit. "Kid…think about what you must do. You won't get far in the ninja if you keep acting so stupidly."

"Then you're a fool as well." said a voice, making the Raikage stop and turn back as he was angered by whoever dared to insult him.

"How dare you! Who do you think you're talking to?" Kamui snapped.

"Haruhi-sama!" Yamato and Kakashi both gasped as Haruhi stood before them all with Hiei and Kurama behind her. Cloaked in her clan's colors of navy blue and white, Haruhi stood strong and tall.

"You think I'm a fool, eh?" Raikage mused, "Humor me with an explanation, Hokage-_dono_."

Haruhi pointed a finger at Naruto. "He came all this way here just to plead to you for mercy and you preach to him about how disgraceful he is for showing compassion for what he's been fighting so hard for!" Haruhi said, "You're the disgraceful one, Raikage! You seek out revenge against Sasuke because of your lame-ass brother going missing and you only find it convenient for yourself and not think of my village retaliating."

"Why you—do you plan to start a war over the sake of saving a criminal's life?" the Raikage asked.

"No," Haruhi said, making Naruto tense. "Not for a criminal, but for a friend. Call it weakness, but wouldn't you go through the same extremities for your own brother if he were the criminal?"

"That is entirely different! Sasuke is no kin of yours!" the Raikage argued.

"Blood means nothing when there is a bond between two people!" Haruhi argued back, "And if there is to be a war then so be it! But the war will be between you and me alone. And we both know how that will end. We'll both die."

Another long silence followed as the tension between the Raikage and Haruhi intensified, neither one backing down. After another minute, the Raikage merely "hmphed" and turned away, continuing to head towards the meeting.

"Then a war there shall be…between the two of us." he said over his shoulder, taking Haruhi's challenge to heart.

Haruhi exhaled a breath, and though she knew her heart should be racing, it was beating steady, as if the encounter meant nothing to her system.

"Naruto…" Kakashi said gently, "Please…that's enough."

"Haru-nee…" Naruto said, slowly getting up. Taking a step towards Haruhi, he threw a punch at her face, but his fist was caught with ease by Haruhi. The action of Naruto attempting to hit the Spirit Detective shocked everyone present. With teeth bared and his face contorted with rage, he glared at Haruhi with intense anger. "Don't get in my way ever again. This is _my_ battle to fight. Not yours."

Haruhi's hand tightened around Naruto's fist, sending a jolt of pain up Naruto's arm before releasing it and letting her hand fall to her side. She stared at Naruto for a long moment.

"I'm sorry, Naruto…for interfering again. But…this is my responsibility, too. But unlike you, I didn't come all the way out here to change the Raikage's mind. I came out here for a different reason entirely."

"And what would that be?" Naruto asked.

"A war will happen whether we like it or not, and even if Danzo is appointed as the active Hokage, it doesn't mean that I can't put in my two-cents, I'm still Hokage, too. There are things that are far more important now than a simple, single-minded promise." Naruto's jaw tightened, feeling as if Haruhi was insulting him and his nindo. "What I'm trying to say is that one person's life shouldn't take priority over millions of others."

Striking a nerve, Naruto's face fell somber as he finally averted his eyes away from Haruhi's. He knew that he was being foolish for going out of his way for a friend who betrayed them all while ignoring the fact that many others will suffer of a war that was ready to erupt.

Haruhi put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Your heart's in the right place, Naruto, but you taking on the weight of the world by yourself doesn't leave much room for anything else, now does it? Share the weight, man, there's no shame in relying on your friends."

"She's right, Naruto." said Kakashi, "Why do you think Yamato and I came out here with you? We, too, are here to take our share of the load."

Yamato nodded his head in agreement.

Naruto raised his forearm to his eyes, hiding his tears as he fought back a sob. Haruhi smiled softly, knowing what it felt to have the world resting on one's shoulders. No one had any intention of telling him that tears were for the weak, because to shed tears in front of others showed that they had strength to move forward.

"You can keep your promise of bringing Sasuke back, but until then, have a little more faith in your friends. Okay?" Haruhi said with a gentle smile.

Naruto nodded, still unable to talk. But his heart felt a little lighter.

* * *

"Place your hats on the table. You are here today because the Raikage has called this meeting." said Mifune when all of the Kages were present at the meeting table. "My name is Mifune, I will be your moderator. The meeting will now begin."

Everyone sat in silence for a long while, each sizing each other up as this was the first meeting of the five Kages in many years.

"I will go first," said Gaara, breaking the silence. "Listen up."

"The makeup of the five Kages sure has changed. You must be something special to be made Kazekage at your age." said the Tsuchikage with amusement. "Your father must have taught you right, but apparently he had forgotten to instill in you some manners."

"I guess…that's why I'm here as Kazekage." said Gaara, never losing his cool.

"Oho! Cheeky brat!" laughed the Tsuchikage, "Of course I can see that you won't jump at me like the Godaime of Konoha. Speaking of which, I see she has been replaced."

"Tsuchikage, please stop interrupting." said the Mizukage, the only female present. "Kazekage, please continue."

"…I'm a former host." Gaara continued, "Akatsuki captured me and nearly killed me by extracting the beast. That's why I believe the Akatsuki are extremely dangerous. I requested aid from the other Kages many times, but they all ignored me. Except for the former Hokage. Though at this point, with so many hosts captured, its too late for aid."

"Hmph…if a country has had its host captured, it has no business giving other countries orders. It's an embarrassment!" said the Tsuchikage, "You should have tried to recover it in secret! Once its stolen you can't expect the other countries to help you!"

Gaara looked over at the eldest Kage. "Appearance…honor…I don't have time for that ridiculous old-fashioned thinking."

"Just because the beasts have been stolen is no need to be afraid." said the Mizukage, "It takes time and knowledge and skill to be able to control them."

"The hosts must grow with the beasts in order to adapt to them. Even then control is difficult, it won't happen immediately." said the Tsuchikage. "Right…Kazekage?"

"In any event," intercepted Danzo, "the only ones who can truly been said to have controlled the beasts are Uchiha Madara and the first Hokage, Hashirama. And maybe the fourth Mizukage, Yagura, and Raikage's brother, Killerbee."

"Quit yer yapping!" Raikage yelled, slamming his fist down onto the table, breaking a large portion of it off. His rage triggered the Kages' guards to all respond as they leapt out in the protection of their leader.

"We are here to talk, please refrain from such displays of rudeness." said Mifune.

"Stand down, Fuu, Torune." said Danzo.

"You, too, Kankuro, Temari." said Gaara.

"Ao, Choujiro, it's alright." said the Mizukage.

The Tsushikage merely nodded his head, indicating all was well. And with the word of their leaders, all the guards returned to their former posts.

"Konoha! Iwa! Suna! Kiri!" Raikage said, "Akatsuki is made up of missing-nins from your villages. And that's not all! I know that there are those among you, including former Kages, who have used Akatsuki for their own purposes!"

"Used Akatsuki?" Gaara asked, having heard this for the first time.

"I don't trust you!" said Raikage, "I had no intention of speaking with you! I called you all here to find out where your true loyalties lie!"

"What do you mean _used Akatsuki_?" Gaara asked again.

"You're the Kazekage! Hasn't anyone told you anything? Go ask your elders! You used Akatsuki in your own war!" said Raikage.

"The Great Countries are enjoying times of relative peace…they are moving from military expansion to disarmament. As tensions ease between the countries, the threat of war grows smaller. Military villages are a drain on a country's resources, but there's a risk…what if a war suddenly breaks out? They can't rely on untested ninjas in the heat of battle. They'd lose the war." explained the Tsuchikage.

"So one way of dealing with that was to use a mercenary force…like Akatsuki?" Gaara asked, beginning to understand.

"It would take time and money to build such a force themselves, but Akatsuki were professionals. And they could be hired for relatively little. Furthermore, they always had good results." said the Tsuchikage.

"I don't want to hear it, Tsuchikage!" said Raikage.

"Suna used Akatsuki to destroy Konoha," the Tsuchikage continued, despite what the Raikage was demanding. "Orochimaru…it's unclear whether he was still with Akatsuki during that time. Both the former Kazekage and the Hokage ended up dieing."

"I can't help but think that must have been part of someone's plot." said Raikage, looking at Danzo with distrust. "Kirigakure, you are the most suspicious. You have no diplomatic relations with other countries, and there are rumors that Akatsuki was formed there."

"To tell you the truth, there were rumors that my predecessor, the fourth Mizukage, was being controlled by someone. It could have been Akatsuki, but I didn't want to make a big deal out of it." said the Mizukage.

"You all…!"

"Watch your tongue, Raikage!" warned the Tsuchikage. "It's because you were continuing to amass power and techniques during this time of disarmament that other countries were forced to hire Akatsuki in the first place!"

"What?"

"Before this devolves into more infighting, there's something I want to tell you all." interrupted Danzo.

"What is it?" Raikage snapped.

"The leader of Akatsuki is almost certainly Uchiha Madara." said Danzo.

"I thought he was long since dead." said Tsuchikage.

"I don't understand it, either, but our source is certain." said Danzo.

"I never imagined he was literally a monster." said Tsuchikage.

"As a neutral country, I have to say, the leader of Akatsuki read the signs of the times." said Mifune, "He used the stability, and the suspicions of other countries to increase his own power. At this rate, even the Land of Iron…but there's always a silver lining, it's rare for the five Kages to come together like this. What do you say? Until Akatsuki is taken care of what would you think of forming a Five-Village Alliance?"

"An alliance?" Raikage said, clearly disapproving of the suggestion.

"It's a good idea," said Danzo, liking where this was leading. "We're in a state of emergency…we have to cooperate."

"The chain of command should be uniformed," said Mifune, "We want to avoid any further confusion."

"So…the question is…who will have authority over this new army?" asked the Tsuchikage.

"You will only fight amongst yourselves, so I would like you to respect my position as a neutral party." said Mifune, "I will decide who among you is best suited for the job. The only host left is Konoha's Kyuubi. I think it will be the key to all of this, what do you say? Will you allow the Hokage to lead the alliance?"

"If you'll have me. I'd be honored to take up the position." said Danzo.

"Why him? He is the embodiment of darkness in the ninja world! We can't trust him!" protested the Raikage.

"Then who?" asked Mifune.

"No one from our village is involved in Akatsuki! I am the only one trustworthy enough to—"

"I do not agree." intervened Mifune, pointing at the damaged part of the table. "It's true that some amount of emotion and power is necessary to lead so many strong warriors, but someone like you who lets his emotions control him will destroy the alliance as surely as you destroyed the table. I am simply offering my suggestion as a neutral party. The Kazekage is too young to lead, the other countries will never accept it. Even addressing him as Kazekage is hard for some. The Tsuchikage, on the other hand, is too old, and is seen as having mobility problems. Furthermore, he has been used by Akatsuki too many times, he is the least trustworthy...

"Kirigakure is the seat of Akatsuki, if the Mizukage were in charge, there would be worries about information leaks. There would be concerns about spies, too. I don't know what Akatsuki plans to do with the tailed-beasts but we can't let them have the Kyuubi. And the Kyuubi belongs to Konoha, it's only right that the Hokage should undertake this."

"I refuse to be a part of any alliance that would require my village to reveal its intention!" said Raikage.

A pained gasp came from Danzo, catching everyone's attention in the room as they were all surprised to see Urameshi Haruhi standing beside the new Hokage, a hand squeezing as hard as it could upon Danzo's "good" shoulder.

"If you're all done picking a leader, please excuse my intrusion by allowing me to put in my two-cents?" Haruhi suggested.

"You…how did you—!" Danzo was cut off when Haruhi's grasp tightened further, forcing him to hold his tongue.

"We obviously have another issue to discuss aside from Akatsuki's movements against our countries." said Haruhi, "And of course...Uchiha Madara. There is something else that needs to be brought to light."

* * *

(Konoha)

Ino sat crying while Chouji rubbed her back to give her some comfort. The old rookies were all gathered together by Kiba who delivered the news to them of what Danzo had decreed, casting a dark cloud over them all.

"Quit crying, Ino!" Kiba yelled.

"Kiba! Don't talk to Ino like that! She's—" Tenten yelled back but was cut off by Kiba.

"What else can we do? Its not like it was before!"

"Are you sure?" Shino asked, "If Ino's like this then Sakura and Naruto will…"

"Let Shikamaru deal with it." said Neji, "He'll be able to explain, besides, he failed in his first duty as team leader. He must feel some responsibility, that's why he offered to go talk with them."

* * *

(Land of Iron)

"What do you mean?" asked the Mizukage, relieved to have another female in the room, but also a bit put off at the same time because Haruhi was much more youthful than she was.

"Akatsuki is more than just a rag-tag team of missing-nins. They even have—" Haruhi was cut off by Danzo who managed to slap her hand from his shoulder, releasing him from her powerful grip.

"Enough, we already know that it's Madara who leads Akatsuki." he said.

"Listen, it's not Madara who we need to be focusing all of our energy on, he also has—"

"It's also no secret that they have Uchiha Sasuke on his side."

"I said listen, you bastard!" Haruhi yelled, losing her patience as she knocked Danzo's seat back with him still in the chair and placed her foot atop his chest. Danzo's two guards were poised to attack but they were stopped when both Hiei and Kurama had them at their mercy. "I'm not talking about either of those two, apparently Madara has recruited someone else who's way stronger than he is. But the real danger is that he doesn't realize just how much stronger they are compared to him and all of us combined. What we need to do if formulate a plan if it comes to a showdown! A war will be the least of our problems if there aren't any soldiers to fight!"

"Where did you get this information?" asked Gaara.

Haruhi turned to face the other four kages. "My father, Urameshi Goku."

"Impossible! He's been dead for years!" Danzo said from where he was pinned but cringed when Haruhi pressed down her foot on his chest. He had a hand around her ankle but was unable to push her off.

"Yes, from my father. He came to me, along with the four late Hokages while I was aimlessly lost within limbo. He told me to be wary of Madara's true form and of the warrior he has allied with." Haruhi said.

"And you expect us to believe what some specter has told you in a dream?" said the Raikage.

"No, but it would make it easier if you all did." said Haruhi.

"And why should we?" challenged the Raikage.

"Because I trust my father's words with my life." said Haruhi, "And unlike all of you, I can sense when a spirit lies or not." Silence befell the room before the Tsuchikage burst out laughing.

"Well, that's the Spirit Detective for ya! Always telling it as it is!" he laughed. "Alright, kid, I'll believe your old man, too. He once saved my grandson many years ago, so I owe him this much by putting my trust in you."

"I put my trust in Haruhi-sama as well." Gaara said.

The Mizukage smiled and nodded in agreement. "You have an open face, Hokage-dono, I will put my trust in you as well."

"I refuse!" said the Raikage, remaining as stubborn as ever. "I simply refuse to go along with what this girl says!"

"It doesn't matter if you believe me or not, in the end, when the war begins, you'll see." said Haruhi, "But I give you my word, I'll be there to fight."

"Heeelloooo!"

Surprised and caught off guard, the white Zetsu suddenly emerged in the center of the meeting of the village leaders.

"Akatsuki?" Haruhi wondered aloud.

"So it would appear." said the Tsuchikage.

"Uchiha Saskue is here somewhere…" said the white Zetsu, "The question is where…?"

* * *

**AN: Sorry for the long wait on this chapter, but for those of you who are keeping up with the manga, I'm sure you guys are way ahead of me. And yes, I am pulling in DBZ into this fic now, too! I said I'll be putting in a new twist to all of this! Please leave a review and flamers will be called out if they have a problem with my fic, and for my faithful readers, do not fret, I will be bringing back more of the lovable characters of Bleach in the coming chapters.**


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Haruhi cursed under her breath when the white Zetsu baited everyone to find Sasuke who was apparently in the very same room as them. Without warning the Raikage had launched himself forward and grabbing white Zetsu by the throat.

"Where is Uchiha Sasuke? Answer me! If you don't answer me I won't go easy on you!" the Raikage demanded.

"Oh fine…I'll give you a hint." said the white Zetsu, still teasing everyone. But before he could give them what they want, Raikage had snapped his neck.

_Damn it!_ Haruhi thought after hearing the unmistakable snap of bone and tendons.

"There was no reason to kill him." said Mizukage. "If you had captured him we may have been able to get some intel out of him."

"There's no one in Akatsuki who would betray it." said Gaara, "They're all loyal to their code."

"You with the white eye! Keep an eye on the Hokage!" Raikage ordered Ao, the Mizukage's guard as he went to the wall and punched a massive hole into it. "Shi! Darui! Let's go!"

_That bastard better not have been talking about me._ Haruhi thought.

"Sorry about the table…and the wall." said Darui, apologizing to everyone.

"Good grief. How rude." said the Tsuchikage. "He always was an unruly child, that hasn't changed since he became Kage."

"Everyone, prepare for battle and find the intruder, Uchiha Sasuke. I want three teams guarding the entrance to the tower." said one of Mifune's guards who was informing the other samurais to keep a look out.

"Get off me, you disgraceful child!" said Danzo. Haruhi didn't give him much thought but obliged to the demand by removing her foot from his chest but didn't bother to help the old man up. That job was reserved for his own guards while Kurama and Hiei stood by, keeping up their guard in their presence.

"Hiei, do you see where they're hiding?" Haruhi asked.

"They aren't far, they're actually watching us as we speak." Hiei informed.

"What? And how long were planning to keep that to yourself?" asked the Raikage, "Well? Speak up, brat!"

"Bah! Youngsters these days…no manners at all!" said the Tsuchikage.

Hiei merely glared at the Raikage before he pointed down to the floor, indicating that Sasuke was in the room below them.

* * *

"It's no use! There are too many…" Karin said, sensing over four dozen samurais looking for them. "They'll find us and capture us for sure!"

"That bastard Zetsu…I won't forget this." said Suigetsu.

"Samurai can control chakra, too?" Karin wondered aloud when she saw the samurai below their hiding place wielding short swords that channeled chakra as they surrounded Sasuke.

"I had no idea they could use chakra like that." said Suigetsu.

"Sasuke! What are you doing?" Karin worried when she spotted Sasuke.

"I'm…really pissed off. So come at me, I won't go easy on you." said Sasuke.

"Neither will we!" shouted a samurai who attacked by swinging his sword and sending out an aerial chakra attack that sliced through the air. Using his Sharingan, Sasuke was able to easily deflect the attack, the massive pillar behind him showing the results of what may have happened if he had been hit by it. The Samurai had all stopped in shock when they saw that their attack was easily evaded.

"Karin, enough with the samurai. I need you to find Danzo." said Jugo.

"But what about the samurai?" Karin asked.

"I'll take care of them. You just find Danzo." said Jugo.

Karin looked back at the fight below, sensing something growing as Sasuke cut down the samurais without mercy.

"Damn it! I told him not to kill them." said Suigetsu.

_Sasuke's chakra is different…_ Karin thought, _I've never seen him like this…before…It's even darker than the second stage of the curse. And…colder…AH! Something big is coming!_

The ceiling was smashed to pieces as the Raikage came crashing down into the room below where Sasuke was.

"I will teach you to fear me!" the Raikage screamed before landing in front of Sasuke. Not one to back down a fight, Sasuke charged forward at the Raikage, unsheathing his sword but Darui defended his Kage by summoning a blast of water at him. Electricity erupted from Sasuke's body, triggered by the water and confirming the Kumo-nins of his chakra's type.

"Raigen Rakochu!" Shi said, as the room was filled with a blinding light and the Raikage took that opportunity to attack Sasuke. With a powerful punch, he pummeled Sasuke into the stone floor, breaking the tiles beneath him.

"Sasuke!" Jugo screamed, though Sasuke was still standing, breaking the spell.

"Stand firm, Jugo. It was only an illusion." said Sasuke.

"You may have seen through the illusion but it's too late!" Raikage yelled, his right arm raised while Darui was behind Sasuke, ready to strike down with his blade. At the last second, both Jugo and Suigetsu blocked the Raikage and Darui's strikes, shielding Sasuke from the attacks. But because the Raikage was much stronger, Suigetsu's sword was broken in half and all three members of Taka jumped back and out of the way.

"Damnit! My sword!" Suigetsu said.

"I guess that crack it got from the hachibi finally gave." said Jugo.

"You guys…I don't need your help." said Sasuke.

"That's the thanks we get for saving your ass? Guess I shouldn't have expected anything else from you." said Suigetsu, "Anyways, Karin would have been able to find Danzo but it's too late by now. She'll be hiding her chakra. I know she has the ability."

"The guy in the back is a sensor, too. We'll have to kill him." said Jugo, transforming into his curse form. "I'll do it."

* * *

(The Kage Meeting)

"Ao…please check to see if the Hokage's power is currently in use." Mifune's guard requested.

"No…I only sense acupressure chakras flowing peacefully." said Ao, "The tech's no longer working."

"Don't worry, it's not something I can use multiple times a day." said Danzo, acting as if he still held the reigns.

"I'll be the one to make that decision, you can't be trusted." said Ao.

"I had no idea that there was another Byakugan out there." said Danzo, looking at Ao. "We should have killed that traitor Hyuuga sooner."

"You're probably planning on killing me for finding out your secret, but you won't so do easily. I will forever remember that flow of chakra as being the one from Uchiha Shisui." said Ao.

"If it comes down to it, I'll fight." said the Mizukage, "I can't help but feel that there might be a connection between that power and the one that controlled the fourth Mizukage."

"Hokage, all techniques are forbidden here." said Mifune, "You didn't have enough faith, I would have chosen you anyway."

"Maybe, but I couldn't take that chance." said Danzo, "I will do whatever it takes to protect the ninja world. This world must become one. Just as Hashirama gathered the clans to create the village, now we must gather the villages and make the ninja world one. That will never happen through discussion, and taking the time to do it morally won't change anything. Eventually Akatsuki will destroy the ninja world."

"It takes time to make ideals a reality," said the Tsuchikage, "If you're hasty, you'll lose sight of everything else and make mistakes…just like now. Not that your ideals are realistic anyways. You may think you're doing good, but the results breeds mistrust, ill feelings, and hatred. Danzo…I cannot trust anything you say."

"Whether you trust me or not…what we need are results." said Danzo.

Gaara couldn't help but think of the old days when his father used to treat him as a son…before the fear and hatred settled in. "If that is what this world is, what humans are…there is no future. Understanding and faith…if you take those away all that's left is fear. I can't accept your lack of morals and how quick you are to give up."

"Easy for you to say, you know nothing about running a village, boy." said the Tsuchikage, "If you have any questions now's the time to ask. We'll give you advice."

"What was that, old man?" Kankuro asked, speaking out of turn.

"Calm down, Kankuro! Regardless of his actions, he's still the leader of his village!" said Temari, keeping her brother back.

"Ha! Despite the young showing great promise in strength you lack the years of battle experience and lessons from past mistakes to earn enough merits to be on the same level as those who have been in this position for many years." said the Tsuchikage.

"That's a laugh, coming from an old geezer who can't take a single step without risking the possibility of breaking a hip." said Haruhi, "Strength and experience means nothing if you have nothing worth protecting."

"Yes, well, not all of us have gone through the same conditions as you, Spirit Detective. Fighting strange creatures without being given a choice in the matter. You're just a tool, a pond for sacrificing in the front lines on a chess board."

"You're beginning to go too far, Tsuchikage-sama." Kurama said in a tone that held warning. "Age seems to have made you forget to hold your sharp tongue."

"Oh? And what right does a pretty-faced boy have to speak to his elder in such a way?" challenged the Tsuchikage, finding the young to be arrogant and irritating.

"Kurama, it's all right, let the fossil ramble on, that's all he's good for nowadays." Haruhi said, tossing more fuel to the increasing inferno that was the tension between the kages.

"I have one question for you," Gaara said calmly, getting the Tsuchikage's attention.

"All right, I'll answer any question you have…_boy_!"

"When did you rise above yourselves?" was all Gaara asked.

Mizukage merely smiled, finding Gaara's point of view to be fresh and innocent, untainted by corruption.

"He got you there gramps." Haruhi grinned.

"Shut up!" the Tsuchikage retorted.

"Danzo-sama, shall I go get the Sharingan?" whispered Fu into Danzo's ear.

"You stay here, Konoha! The Raikage told me to keep an eye on you!" said Ao.

"Fu, Torune, stand down. We don't want to be in a fight." said Danzo just as his guards were going on the offensive.

Haruhi could sense the fight between the Raikage and Sasuke growing more intense. Hiei and Kurama could also sense the battle but weren't about to leave Haruhi's side to fend for herself in a room full of potential enemies.

_A fight will be unavoidable if the Raikage continues to use tremendous amount of chakra like that._ Kurama thought as he stared at Haruhi's back. _And knowing Haru, she's just itching for an excuse to fight and her focus will no doubt be on Danzo._

Haruhi suddenly looked away towards the hole in the wall, sensing that the Raikage was gaining the upper hand and that Sasuke had already used the Ameterasu technique. Gaara had noticed that something was wrong as well and when he saw that Haruhi was distracted by something else, he knew just what it was right away.

"Hiei, Kurama…let's go." Haruhi said, taking the lead and headed out through the hole that had been punched out by the Raikage.

* * *

Sasuke had put up a good fight against the Raikage, but because of the Raikage's lightning armor it made it difficult to land a single blow. And right as the Raikage was about to land a finishing blow, Sasuke was saved by a barrier of sand, and that sand no doubt belonged to one person.

Looking to the side, Sasuke saw Gaara standing with his arms crossed and a trail of sand coming out from the gourd on his back. The Raikage leapt back away from Sasuke, his left arm still burning from the Ameterasu flame.

"Gaara of the sand…" Sasuke breathed, rolling onto his stomach and pushing himself up onto his knees.

Temari swung her gigantic fan, blowing away the flames with the samurais' armor, saving the unfortunate victims from a painful death. Kankuro was doing the same with his chakra strings, ripping away the burning armor from the other samurais that Temari did not get to.

"Stand back, samurai. This is between ninjas." Gaara said without looking away from Sasuke. "There's no need for you samurai to lose your lives over this."

"Why have you interfered, Kazekage? If I don't like your answer I won't let you off easy!" said the Raikage.

"If you had continued to attack, the black flames would have harmed you even more." said Gaara, " Besides, I want to talk to Uchiha Sasuke."

The Raikage looked down at his burning arm and without hesitation, cut it off, alarming his two guards.

"B-boss!" said Shi.

"Shi, hurry up and stop the bleeding!" said the Raikage. "I'll attack Sasuke as soon as you're done."

"Yes, sir!" Shi said, quickly going to work on stopping the massive amount of blood from flowing out of his leader's arm. _Not only was he able to touch Raikage through his ration armor, but he managed to survive two major attacks. His left must be the Amaterasu…It's most certainly his left eye that controls the black flames. Maybe Bee really was captured by this guy. I guess…there are still things yet undiscovered in the ninja world._

"Geez, if you had waited another two seconds I would've had Hiei remove the flames." said Haruhi as she and her team arrived to the scene.

"Hmph! As if I'd help." Hiei said, looking down at the severed limb still engulfed by the black flames. Hiei could see that it was a variation of the Mortal Flame, meant to burn until there was nothing left. But it was nothing compared to the actual Mortal Flames.

"Don't lump me in as a weakling like you, Urameshi!" said Raikage.

"And cutting off your arm like it was nothing means strength?" Haruhi asked, unimpressed. "You're just like everyone else with power, you flaunt it around but don't do anything useful with it. Jerk."

"How dare you speak to the Raikage that way!" said Shi.

Haruhi walked away from the Raikage, stopping halfway towards Gaara and stopped to turn and face Sasuke who was staring back at her.

"Your eyes are still the same." Gaara said, gaining Sasuke's attention again. "I've realized that living for revenge doesn't solve anything. It's not too late for you…don't escape into your own little world, possessed by hate. You won't be able to return."

"So?...If I come back…What is there for me there?" Sasuke asked, rising up onto one knee.

"Gaara, don't bother…if he could be convinced, Naruto would not have failed. He's a criminal now, a member of Akatsuki…he's not like you." said Kankuro.

"Besides, Raikage…and those harmed by Akatsuki won't stay silent." said Temari, "By attacking the summit, he's guaranteed to be an internationally wanted criminal…he has no future."

Gaara had seen the way Sasuke's eyes seemed to change for a fraction of a second when Haruhi had appeared, and he had also seen the same thing in her eyes as well. That was enough for the young Kazekage to know that there was something between them. Something that goes beyond recognition. Beyond being old allies. Perhaps…even beyond friendship?

"Sasuke, you and I are alike. We have walked through the darkness of this world…That's why we are able to see even a sliver of light. Both back then, and even now." Gaara said.

Sasuke had looked at Haruhi and then back at Gaara and smirked, "I have long since closed my eyes. My only goal is in the darkness."

"Don't make this personal," Kankuro warned, "You're the Kazekage.

Sand began to leave Gaara's gourd as a tear escaped from his left eye, feeling regret for what he had to do. "I know." he said, his sand now spraying out to attack.

Sasuke activated Amaterasu once more, burning the sand as a bitter smile appeared on his lips. "I can't believe I had to guard myself with an enton. I see your absolute defense is alive and well."

"Aren't you done yet, Shi?" Raikage asked impatiently, wanting to get back into the fight as soon as possible.

"Almost." said Shi.

"Let me help!" said Darui, coming up beside Kankuro. "I'll go first! And then the rest of you attack at once!"

_Oh no!_ Haruhi thought in alarm, but a hand on her arm to keep her grounded reminded her to stay out of the fight. Hiei wasn't one to intervene, but even he was able to sense the approaching danger.

"Remember why we're actually here." Hiei said.

Haruhi bit the inside of her cheek, hating the feeling of being unable to do anything. She didn't want them to kill Sasuke, and she didn't want Sasuke to kill them all. It was, if nothing else, difficult to simply stand by and watch as the four shinobis combined their attacks on Sasuke.

Haruhi and her team had to shield their eyes behind their arms when the attacks clashed with Sasuke. And once the smoke and debris cleared, what they all saw was unexpected.

Sasuke was surrounded by what looked like an armored skeleton with a black aura.

"Gaara…my defense is even more absolute than yours." said Sasuke.

"Is that how he guarded against my attacks?" Raikage wondered.

"Oh damn…what the hell…is that?" Haruhi wondered, her voice barely above a whisper.

_His chakra is incredibly dark…and cold…_Kurama thought, _What he must have gone through to achieve this level must have stripped away layers of his humanity. Any more and he'll surely be nothing more than a shadow of what he once was._

"Is this…the power of darkness?" Gaara asked.

"Only those who control the double Mangekyo can use this power…the third power…Suusano'o." said Sasuke.

"Suusano'o?" Gaara repeated, rather curious to know the extent of its full power but at the same time, hesitant.

"This is rather impressive for a human, I've never met anyone other than you, Haru, to never cease with the surprises." said Hiei.

"I don't know if I want to take that compliment just yet." Haruhi said, her mind still trying to grasp the reality of what she was seeing. She had no idea that Sasuke was capable of doing something like this.

"It is astounding that he has the chakra and the means of controlling such an awesome jutsu. And from the dark aura it is putting out I would hazard a guess that coming into close contact would have the same affects as the Amaterasu." said Kurama.

"Great, just another reason to keep distance." Haruhi said with dry sarcasm.

Suusano'o's massive arm swung outward, hitting the pillars, smashing them to rubble and loosening more larger parts as the support for the ceiling was going one by one. Creating a cave-in.

"The pillars!" one samurai yelled.

"The roof won't hold much longer!" screamed another samurai.

"Everybody out!" Kankuro screamed.

Sasuke caught the look of surprise on Haruhi's face from across the room, their eyes locking for a split second before the rubble blocked their view of each other. With the cave in as a distraction Sasuke used Suusano'o to grab Karin who had been hiding on the second level and drop her off behind him.

"Have you located Danzo?" he asked.

"Yeah…" Karin said, readjusting her glasses.

"Lead me to him."

"What about Jugo and Suigetsu? Their chakras are still…"

"Leave them. I have to find Danzo." Sasuke said, turning to face Karin. "Hurry up and lead me to him."

Karin flinched at the coldness in Sasuke's tone. "A-all right."

* * *

"Sorry…Kazekage." said Darui while Gaara had used his sand to protect them from the collapsed ceiling. Using the sand to push the rubble aside, it was clear what that it was nothing more than a diversion to buy time.

"Looks like Sasuke took this opportunity to escape." said Kankuro.

"Thanks for the update, Captain Obvious." Haruhi said sarcastically, surprising the puppet master for suddenly appearing behind him without notice.

"You're one to talk, you just stood by and watched. Makes your alliance questionable." said Temari.

"Yeah, I guess I can't really blame you for thinking that." Haruhi said as if it didn't matter in the least. "But I think we have bigger problems than question who's side I'm on."

"After him! Now!" the Raikage yelled.

"It seems that he is heading up above." said Shi, sensing Sasuke's chakras.

_Naruto…what would you have done?_ Gaara wondered.

* * *

In the meeting room where the three remaining kages were, they could sense that something had gone seriously down within the last minute as soon as the shaking had stopped.

"There! Up above!" Ao warned, sensing a huge chakra approaching.

All eyes went up to see Uchiha Sasuke standing upon the ceiling, looking down at them all, his Sharingan eyes focused upon one target: Danzo.


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

Mifune had leapt up, unsheathing his sword but Sasuke easily blocked the attack with own sword. With the clash of their blades, Danzo had taken that moment of distraction to make his own escape.

"Sasuke! Danzo is getting away!" Karin yelled.

Both Mifune and Sasuke pushed away from each other, the samurai landed back down upon his table while Sasuke remained on the ceiling, silently cursing the old rat for slipping away.

"Mizukage! Chojuro! You stay here!" Ao said before going after Danzo.

"Alright! But don't chase him too far!" said Mizukage.

"My hips are troubling me. The rest of you may do as you like." said the Tsuchikage.

"Good idea." said his large and jolly guard.

Sasuke released his chakra and landed on the floor. "Karin, follow me." he said, but just before he was able to take a step forward his instincts told him to jump out of the way just as a lava shot out from behind, and covering the exit. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the Mizukage standing up and delicately wiping her mouth.

"Akatsuki violated Kirigakure and made yondaime Mizukage their plaything. Looks like the Uchiha clan have some really good-looking men" said the Mizukage, her voice a clear taunt.

"Don't interfere." Sasuke warned.

"Such a good-looking man…what a waste. But I'll give you a kiss to remember me by." said the Mizukage, still teasing her prey.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Karin yelled, her jealousy rising. "An old hag like you has no right to be acting all seductive!"

"If you're not going to join the fight, Tsuchikage, then please, get out of here." said the Mizukage as she prepared for her second attack, spitting her Yoton Yokai no Jutsu at Sasuke.

Using Suusano'o again, Sasuke was shielded from the lava that sprayed out from the Mizukage's mouth and Chojuro came up next, using his special blade like a hammer to swing at Sasuke who braced himself for the blow. It was stronger than he had anticipated and was thrown through a wall and into the hall.

_All the cells in my body ache…is this the risk of using Suusano'o?_ Sasuke wondered as he struggled to get back up. _So this is what happens when I use it for long periods of time. I haven't even perfected it yet and I'm already in this much pain. What must it have been like for Itachi…?_

"Now we're all alone." said the Mizukage, "Look behind you, I blocked that wall the first time I attacked. The room is completely sealed, there is no way out. I can use water, fire, and earth, so I have two kekkei genkais." Using her second kekkei genkai, the Mizukage breathed out a mist from her mouth.

Sasuke shielded himself again with Suusano'o, but he could see that his shield was weakening as it began to melt. Releasing more of his chakra to strengthen Suusano'o, he could feel himself physically straining and unable to keep up his ultimate defense.

"Looks like the fight with Raikage really wore you out, unfortunately for you, I have no intention of helping you out. It always hurts my heart to melt a good-looking guy, but you're going to have to die."

_It's an acid mist!_ Sasuke thought, realizing that what Mizukage had breathed out was not fire, but a mist of acid, which was the reason why his Suusano'o was melting and burning his skin.

The Mizukage was about to take a step forward when she noticed that she had white blobs on her that began to grow and take form of the supposed fallen white Zetsu.

"I can't believe no one noticed my Hoshi no Jutsu." said Zetsu, "The five kages are a bunch of fools."

_My chakra…it's…_ Mizukage could feel herself being weakened by the white Zetsu, comprehending that it was like a leech, sucking away her precious strength. It leapt away from her and onto Sasuke, who braced himself for the worst but quickly realized that it was giving him the stolen chakra to replenish his own.

With his strength returning, Sasuke used Suusano'o to break through the wall of acid goo, back into the room where the others were being attacked by the white Zetsus.

"Looks like its time for us to join the fight, Akatsuchi." said Tsuchikage, as he and his guard broke away from Zetsu. "I can't believe a kid like you killed Deidara. I have nothing against you, but the ninja world wants you dead…see ya!"

Sasuke covered his left eye as the Tsuchikage revved up for an attack.

"Sasuke!" Karin screamed as the Tsuchikage launched his attack, engulfing the room in a blinding light. Once the light vanished, it was a shock to see Haruhi standing in Sasuke's place with her left arm extended forward, her palm flat as it had repelled the attack. A light blue aura of her Spirit Energy cloacking her entire body, protecting her from the blast.

"_Traitor!_" the Raikage spat out as he and Gaara returned to the meeting room. "You truly are on the enemy's side!"

Despite having his greatest attack stopped by one hand, Tsuchikage wasn't at all concerned about the motives behind Haruhi's decision to intervene. He was more concerned about how she was able to get between him and Sasuke in a split second. _She's much too fast for any human…not even the best of jounins can move so swiftly! Not since Minato… On top of that…she blocked my best attack with just one hand and didn't receive a single scratch! This generation…this girl…if she wanted she could most definitely conquer the five nations on her own!_

"Give it a rest, you patronizing jackass." Haruhi said, lowering her arm to her side. She knew what it looked like, but she knew that if she had stood by and allowed something to happen to Sasuke then Naruto would simply resent her. On top of that, Naruto wouldn't be able to live with himself if Sasuke were to die before he could fulfill his promise. She couldn't risk the chain of hatred to continue on through him. But Naruto aside, Haruhi needed to keep Sasuke alive for a more selfish reason…she needed his help in getting rid of Danzo because at the same time…there was another threat to deal with.

"What a scary look in your eyes, Spirit Detective. Haven't seen that in long time." came a voice. All eyes went up to the top of a broken pillar where the puppeteer of Akatsuki, with a passed out Sasuke slung over his shoulder, stood above them all. "My name is Uchiha…Madara. I'm here to explain something to you, I just want to make that clear."

Haruhi looked behind her to see that Sasuke was nowhere in sight and quickly looked back at Madara. "And what's that?"

"I want to tell you about my goal, the Moon's Eye plan." said Madara in all of his confidence.

"Moon's Eye…?" Haruhi wondered what that was.

"Be on your guard." Kurama advised softly to his teammates.

The Raikage lunged forward, attacking with his powerful Raiton punch, aiming for Sasuke. Not only did Madara repel the attack, but he also sucked Sasuke up into the void of another dimension inside his Sharingan.

"I have no interest in hearing the twisted plans of Akatsuki. I cannot understand you people!" said the Raikage, "Hand Sasuke over!"

"First you listen to my explanation. I may comply, depending on your answer." said Madara.

_It's clear who holds the better hand._ Kurama thought.

"Let's be calm about this, Raikage. Let's hear what he has to say, and make our decisions then." said Tsuchikage.

Madara hopped down to where Karin had been hiding. "Heal Sasuke up for me." he said before sucking her up into the Sharingan.

"That must be Madara's ability." said Kankuro.

"Looks like a time-space ninjutsu." said Temari.

"Now then," Madara said, jumping back up to the rafters to continuing looking down at everyone. "It looks like you're all ready to listen ladies and gentlemen."

"Why is that you seek to win Sasuke over?" asked Gaara.

"A Sharingan that can activate Suusano'o is a rarity. I wouldn't want to let a nice pair of eyes like that to slip through my fingers. In fact, I wanted to give him the opportunity to train them up further in combat with the five kages. It was I who sent him here. I would like to have him weaken you to the point where I could take you hostage, as well…but it looks like that was too much to expect. On top of that, I was unprepared for the arrival of the Spirit Detective."

"Hostage? For what purpose?" asked Mizukage.

"Just to ensure that the Moon Eye operation plays out smoothly." said Madara.

"It certainly is a shock to hear that Uchiha Madara is still alive." said Tsuchikage, "But why would a man of your caliber resort to these roundabout tactics? Surely with your power, you could accomplish anything you want."

"The wounds from my battle with the first Hokage, Hashirama, were too deep. Right now, I'm powerless…I am nothing more than an empty shell of my former self." said Madara.

"So this _operation_ is for the purpose of returning to your former self?" Kurama asked.

"Well…that is one way of putting it, but that is not all that it entails." said Madara.

"What are you plotting? What exactly is this _Mooneye_ operation?" Hiei asked.

"I would like to take my time with this tale, if you don't mind, I'll take a seat." Madara said, sitting down as he had said he would.

"We're asking you what this plan of yours is!" said Kankuro, growing impatient and anxious.

Madara merely wagged a finger at him. "To have everything become one with me! I mean to achieve a _complete form_, in which all is united."

His words stirred unease among everyone on the floor.

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean? One with you? All is united?" Hiei asked.

"There is a stone monument passed down in the Uchiha for generations. Even now, it lies beneath the village of Konoha. Upon it are recorded the secrets left to us by the Rikudou Sennin. Without our eyes, it is impossible to read. What's more, the Mangekyo Sharingan can decode more than the Sharingan, and the Rinnegan still more than that."

"Now this is getting ridiculous. The Rikudou Sennin?" Tsuchikage balked at.

"He speaks the truth." said Kurama, getting everyone's attention on the floor. "The Rikudou Sennin did indeed live many centuries ago."

"You serious?" Haruhi asked.

"Heh! Even the legend of the Rikudou Sennin has traveled far into Makai." Hiei said, "Of course, demons tend to twist human legends, but the name and legacy still remain the same."

"Wow, I had no idea." Haruhi said.

"Enough of this dawdling!" shouted the Raikage, "What does the Rikudou Sennin have to do with your plan?"

"Impatient fool." Hiei said, purposely speaking loud enough for the Raikage, and everyone to hear.

"You impudent punk! How dare you speak as if I am not here!" barked the Raikage.

Hiei took a challenging step towards the Raikage, despite Kurama warning him to keep focus on the task at hand. But as usual, Hiei chose to ignore the warning. "I know your type. Always yelling and relying on strength and intimidation to keep everyone under your thumb. Its fools like you who are always the first to die in a true battle."

"Its arrogant punks like you who will be humiliated once put in your place by someone stronger than them! And I'll be glad to do the job!" said the Raikage.

"Go ahead, I dare you to try." said Hiei.

"That's enough, Hiei! This isn't the time!" said Kurama.

"Hey! How about we save this later for couples counseling!" Haruhi said, clearly irritated.

"As I was saying," said Madara, grabbing everyone's attention again. "Do you know why it is he, the Rikudou Sennin, became the stuff of legend? Worshiped by the ninja world almost like a god? Therein lies the connection between that man and my goal."

"…Uchiha Madara…you possess the Mangekyo Sharingan, and Akatsuki also possessed a man with the Rinnegan. You must know everything that is inscribed there." said Mizukage.

"Let's hear it." said Tsuchikage.

"The Rikudou Sennin saved the world, saved it from a monster." said Madara.

"A monster?" Gaara asked.

"Gaara, you once played home to a portion of that monster. The monster in question was the fused form of all the bijuus. A being possessed of the ultimate chakra…the Juubi."

"Surely the bijuu's tails go up to nine!" said Temari.

"As I said…it is the fused form of all bijuu. The Ichibi through the Kyuubi are nothing more than beings created from the divided chakras of the Juubi, by the Rikudou Sennin, of course." said Madara.

A chill ran down Haruhi's spine, giving her the impression that this tale was only going to become more chilling.

"The Rikudou Sennin developed a certain ninjutsu in order to protect the world from the Juubi…Even now, that ninjutsu is being quietly passed down…the seal that creates a jinchuriki…Yes…the Rikudou Sennin…was the Juubi jinchuriki. In order to suppress its power, he sealed the Juubi into his own body. As the man who freed the world from the terrible Juubi, the Sennin was worshipped like a god by the people. But the Juubi's chakra was so massive and foul that if the jinchuuriki were to die, it would escape the seal and terrorize the world once more.

"Fearing this, upon his deathbed, the Rikudou Sennin used the last of his power to divide the Juubi's chakra into nine portions and scattered them across the world's surface. And with that the chakra removed, its actual body was sealed away and blasted into the sky, where its power could not be reached…It became the moon."

"This is all too immense…" said Darui, doing his best to hide his shock. "Can a human being really accomplish a thing like that?"

"There have been only a handful of humans throughout history to have gone beyond their mortal limits and passed on as legends." said Kurama, "For instance, Haru and her sensei, Genkai, have gone beyond their human limits."

"Enough, get to the point already." Haruhi said.

"As the jinchuuriki of the Juubi, the Rikudou Sennin was already beyond what we would call _human._" said Madara.

"So you're gathering those nine pieces of scattered chakra, the bijuus, in an attempt the gain that _beyond-human_ power for yourself. But what exactly do you mean to do with that power?" asked Kurama.

"I will restore the Juubi. And I will become the Juubi jinchuuriki myself. Using its power, I will magnify the power of my eyes to the ultimate level…and activate a certain jutsu."

"I don't like the sound of that." Haruhi muttered.

"A certain jutsu? And what is that?" asked Kurama.

"A massive-scale genjutsu, reflecting my own eyes from the surface of the moon. The infinite Tsukuyomi. I will cast my genjutsu upon all humans living upon the Earth's surface! Controlling all of humanity within that genjutsu, I will become one with the world!" Everyone was struck to their core by Madara's evil intent, the idea of controlling the world through genjutsu was an unimaginable nightmare. "It will be a world without hatred of conflict. Everything will be one with me, everything united. That is my _Mooneye_ operation."

"This bastard's insane." Haruhi said.

"To hell with that! I won't give this world over to you!" Raikage yelled in defiance.

"A peace born of illusion is nothing more than a lie. Peace only holds meaning if it is created in reality." said Gaara.

"What do you expect us to find in such a world? It would be devoid of hope, devoid of dreams! Nothing more than running from reality!" said the Mizukage.

"So you mean to unite the world…that sounds similar to what Danzo was saying." said the Tsuchikage, "But it sounds to me that rather uniting the world, both of you simply want to take it for yourselves."

"Hahaha! Well, do you five kages think you can do any better? Surely you should have all realized by now…there is no such thing as hope. The concept of hope is nothing more than giving up. A word that holds no true meaning. Now, hand over the remaining Hachibi and Kyuubi, and cooperate with my operation. Otherwise, war will be upon us."

"War?" Gaara repeated.

While everyone's minds were on the possibility of a war breaking out, the Raikage was stuck on the request of handing over the hachibi.

"What is the meaning of this? You already took—"

"We failed on the recovery of the Hachibi, he escaped from our grasp." Madara explained, "He has achieved true perfection as a jinchuuriki and a shinobi…as might be expected of your own brother."

The Raikage had a blank, dumbfounded look upon his face.

"Ahhh…I knew it." Darui said while his teammate Shi sighed heavily. "I had a feeling it would be something like this."

"That ungrateful little—! He used this whole damned affair to run away from the village and have fun somewhere on his own! Unforgivable! Oh—he'll taste my iron claw!" the Raikage screamed in rage.

"It seems you were right about the Raikage, Hiei." Kurama muttered.

"Hn…" was all Hiei had to reply with, not wanting to waste anymore words on the over-confident human.

"Guess it's safe to say that we can null the request of Sasuke's head." Haruhi said in a simple tone.

"I will not hand Uzumaki Naruto to you." said Gaara.

"I concur!" said the Mizukage.

"What say you, Raikage?" asked the Tsuchikage.

"I will not hand my brother to this man!" the Raikage confirmed.

"I may have no power myself…but I have the power of bijuu I have collected thus far. You have no hope of victory." said Madara.

"We will not abandon hope." said Gaara.

"That's right! We'll fight with everything we have to keep hope alive!" said Haruhi.

"Very well…In that case, I hereby declare…the Fourth Ninja World War." said Madara, making everyone tense and on edge. "Next time we meet, it will be on the battle ground. But unfortunately for you, Urameshi Haruhi, you won't live long enough to see the start of the war. I won't take the risk of leaving the world's strongest warrior to ruin my plans."

"What?" Haruhi said, her hands fisting at her sides.

"I know what you are and I know what your kind are capable of. Luckily for me, I just so happen to have a special friend who is just like you and they can't wait to spill your blood." Madara said, and with that said, from within his Sharingan out came a girl the same age as Haruhi with short black hair and black eyes. She was as tall as Haruhi with a similar slim build but she had more battle scars than the Spirit Detective.

To add onto the mystery fighter, her dark eyes held an edge to them that only a killer who felt no remorse could have. And her aura…it too reflected the killer instinct that showed in her eyes.

Haruhi couldn't explain it, but her blood was suddenly running hotter but her heart rate never accelerated, remaining calm and steady. Something in her…something dormant…told her that this was only inevitable.

_Destiny_.

"Haru-chan, meet Riin. She's like you in many ways, including your lineage. Both of your fathers were of the Saiyan clan, making you two half-Saiyans. But which one of you is the better, I wonder?" Madara said with a hint of amusement as he began to vanish within his own time-space ninjutsu. "Riin, do not disappoint me."

"What's a…Saiyan?" Kurama wondered.

"How the hell should I know?" Haruhi said, "This is the first I'm hearing this, just like you guys."

"Have you been taught _nothing_ of your heritage?" Riin asked in a manner that bordered arrogance and insult. "How _disgraceful_. We're the last of our kind and yet you know _nothing_? Hmph! That fool Madara has wasted my time with his lies, but since I'm here I'll just simply kill you all and then go after that foolish man."

Faster than the blink of an eye, Riin vanished from their sights, catching everyone off guard.

"Where'd she go?" Kankuro gasped, looking around frantically like the others.

Haruhi gasped, "Look out!" as she pushed Gaara hard enough to the floor before jumping back in time to see a small crater appear in the very spot where Gaara had been standing.

"How sad that they're meant to be the strongest of their village and yet they can't keep up with my movements like you." Riin said into Haruhi's ear, who spun around and swiped her left arm out to hit Riin but she vanished in an instant. Before Haruhi was even able to turn back around she was punched across the face, sending her reeling into the already crumbling wall of the Summit, partially burying her beneath the rubble.

"Haru!" Kurama called out as he and Hiei moved to help their teammate but were suddenly thrown to the opposite side of the room by Riin, hitting the rafters and then falling to the floor individually.

"You might as well line up for the slaughter." Riin taunted, turning her head to look at the remaining kages and their guards. "Of course, I'd much rather do this quickly."

Being impatient as always, the Raikage simply charged forward, swinging his right arm to hit the "impudent" intruder. But to his, and everyone's, surprise, Riin caught the Raikage's massive wrist, the flat of his knuckles only an inch away from the tip of her nose. A cocky smirk on her lips.

"She…caught the Raikage's two-tone punch!" Darui gasped.

"That's impossible! The Raikage's strength is second to none!" said Shi.

"Shame that this is your only remaining arm. But I'll be merciful this one time." Riin said before tapping her other fist underneath the Raikage's forearm and snapping the bone in two. From an outsider's point of view, it looked like nothing but a simple tap.

A roar of pain ripped out from the Raikage's throat before he was silenced by Riin who leapt up five feet into the air and kicked him in the chest, sending him crashing backwards into his two subordinates who then in turn smashed into the stone wall.

"Who's next in line?" Riin asked.

"Hey!" Haruhi yelled from behind, getting up from beneath the rubble. "You ever hear of a sucker punch, bitch?"

"Well, I should have known better than to have pulled my punch against you." said Riin.

"Hey, Kurama! Hiei! You guys still alive?" Haruhi called before nursing her right cheek. "Ow! Damn it! It's still throbbing!"

"Yes…we're fine." Kurama answered.

"Damn her…" Hiei hissed, pushing himself up from the floor.

"Everyone, stay out of this fight. This is mine." Haruhi said.

Riin chuckled, grinning wickedly at Haruhi while she raised her left arm and pointed her palm at the rest of the group, a sphere of bright yellow energy forming.

"You think you can beat me, huh?" Riin asked, the energy sphere in her palm glowing more intensely. "I'd like to see you try."

Haruhi flashed-stepped to be in Riin's face and punched her across the face, sending Riin skidding across the floor and into the table, breaking what was left of it. Haruhi pumped her fist out.

"That's pay-back for earlier!" Haruhi said, holding up her middle finger.

Riin stood back up and spat out blood from a small wound on the inside of her cheek. "If that's all you've got then I have nothing to worry about."

"You want more?" Haruhi pointed her right index finger at Riin and shot a small blast of her Spirit Gun at Riin who easily knocked it aside, sending the blast into the ceiling. With her cocky grin in place, Haruhi ran out through the hole. "Fight me if you aren't too chicken!"

Taking the bait, Riin took flight and flew after Haruhi, leaving a trail of dust and debris in her wake, along with the remaining shinobi and Haruhi's teammates.

"We should help Haruhi-san!" said Kankuro.

"No, we would only get in her way." said Kurama, "It's best to leave this matter in Haru's hands while we relocate to a safer vicinity."

"Good idea, it's best to move the kages elsewhere in case things get out of hand." said Mifune, "Follow me."

* * *

When Haruhi looked over her shoulder to see if Riin was following, she didn't expect to see the girl _flying_ after her. It was insane, to say the least, that someone who Haruhi might just pass in the streets without thought could be so incredibly strong. Not to mention ruthless. Haruhi had to pump chakra through her legs to help her run as fast as she could, flash-stepping whenever she needed to cross the extra few feet in an instant until she felt that they were far enough from the fortress and from everyone who could get in the way.

Stopping in a rocky terrain covered in snow, Haruhi turned her body to face Riin who stood on a rocky formation just a few feet away from her.

"You should be honored…a bottom-tier girl like you hardly ever gets a chance to play with an elite warrior like me." said Riin, "We Saiyans are tested for combat aptitude soon after we are born. The pitiful babes with low battle numbers are sent off to other villages with no serious opponents. Just like your father was."

"If that's how he got here then I'm grateful, in my village we know that even the lowest-born can outdo the elite if they work hard enough." Haruhi said.

"Heh! At least they have a sense of humor. Now I'll show you the wall that you can never scale with _hard work_ alone."

Both female fighters readied themselves as they faced each other down, waiting for the opportunity to strike.

* * *

**AN: Yes! That's right! I am tying in DBZ into this story! I figured "what the hell, it's my fic, so I'll give it a shot!" Hopefully you readers (if you're still out there) will enjoy this new twist of plot as I continue to remain as faithful as possible to the Naruto arc. And if you're wondering what happened to Bleach being a part of this story, don't worry, they'll be back in the (near?) future**. **So I hope you've enjoyed the two chapters I've posted up, since it's been awhile, and I'll be doing my best to keep everything fresh and entertaining (as much as my writing ability will allow).**

**Please leave a review!**


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Haruhi and Riin stared each other down, surrounded by rock and snow. In a flash, Haruhi made the first attack, kicking Riin across the way and then launched after her. Riin twisted her weight around, landing on a rock formation and then carried the momentum to propel her forward towards Haruhi.

They clashed.

Riin swung her right elbow into Haruhi's jaw, sending her flying backwards. Haruhi maneuvered herself around, getting her feet underneath her before springing upwards back to engage in their fight. With every kick and punch, their energies pushed them up in midair.

They were evenly matched…so far.

"What's wrong, _Haru?_" Riin asked, clearly enjoying their combat. "Where's your power?" She kicked Haruhi in the stomach. "This isn't how you rose to power in Makai! SHOW ME!" She clasped her hands together and hammered down on the back of Haruhi's neck, sending her crashing into the rocks below. But Haruhi was quick to avoid getting hit in a vital spot and flipped over onto her feet, keeping her from causing damage to her body and looked up to where Riin landed on the rocks where she looked down at Haruhi with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Unbelievable…she's just joking around…and she's still stronger and faster than me…" Haruhi said, "Okay, then! I'll show you!"

Haruhi focused on her energy, stirring within and then making its way up to the surface. With a roar, Haruhi pushed her reiki out through her right palm at Riin, shattering the rock beneath the other girl's feet. Riin, on the other hand, had easily jumped out of the way. Seeing this, Haruhi jumped up, surprising Riin when she was able to flash-step in midair and punched Riin with a right hook. Haruhi followed her right hook with a series of quick jabs and then finished off with a kick to the ribs that sent Riin flying off.

Using her reiki to push herself forward in midair, Haruhi flash-stepped again after Riin, catching up to her only to be caught by surprise when Riin flipped over and kicked Haruhi, catching her under the chin. Haruhi flipped backwards, swinging her legs around to be under her as she landed back down on the snow covered rocks, slidding backwards to a halt. Riin floated down to be slightly at level with Haruhi, though she remained a few inches higher than Haruhi's eye level.

"Heh…if that was your best…then I'm disappointed." Riin said, her wicked grin in place once more.

Haruhi couldn't help but crack a grin of her own. _I can't believe her…! But…in a weird way…I'm starting to get kinda excited…_

Haruhi flipped backwards up the side of a pillar of rocks and looked up at Riin who rose higher into the air. Her brown eyes widened a fraction when Riin shot a speeding blast of energy at her. Haruhi jumped upwards to avoid the impact of the energy blast, but that was what Riin had anticipated and shot another blast of energy while Haruhi was caught in midair. Surprised again, Haruhi was barely able to get out of the way, the sleeve of her right arm singed to ash.

Riin laughed while Haruhi fell back to the rocks, landing upon a spot that had yet to be touched by anyone. The snow crunching beneath her feet.

"That's good! That's very good! You dodged well!" Riin laughed, as she lowered down to the snowy rocks like Haruhi.

"Damn…she's way stronger and faster than I thought…" Haruhi said to herself, trying to think quickly on her next move.

"I made that easy to dodge on purpose," Riin said, "It would be boring if you died without suffering."

_Guess I have no choice but to use _that_ move…_ Haruhi thought, smiling as she settled on what she planned to do next.

_She's smiling…has she given up and stopped caring? Or is she able to increase her power more?_ Riin thought before smirking. "I'd say you've hit your limit. So let me show you something before you die. The overwhelming power of an elite Saiyan."

"Go ahead!" Haruhi said, "I'm not scared."

"Heh heh heh! I look forward to wiping off that smirk of yours!" Riin said before she clenched both her hands into fists and tensed her entire body as she released a roar from deep within her chest. Her body emitted a visible aura that took on a dark red hew.

Haruhi sensed the power that was coming off of Riin in waves, sensing it to be as strong as an A, maybe and S-class demon. It was definitely something that made her head spin, never having met anyone like Riin except perhaps Sasuke and Naruto, but then…their powers were acquired through accessorized means. Such as Naruto's Kyuubi and Sasuke's Sharingan and cursed mark.

Riin's power continued to grow, it was strong enough to have made the weather change, making the sky grow darker, the wind blow harder, and lightning crackling through the air.

"What power…It's like the whole planet is trembling…!" Haruhi said, quickly shielding her eyes when Riin released another roar, her power creating a stronger force of wind. It was enough force to crumble the rocks, making them shatter into smaller pieces. And then it all stopped. The darkness cleared away and the calm returned. It sent an eerie feeling through Haruhi.

"This is it, Haruhi!" Riin said, catching Haruhi off guard when she was in her face and smashed her forehead against Haruhi's.

The air was caught in Haruhi's throat, the shock of having her head cracked disoriented her. And right as Haruhi was falling from the ledge, Riin followed up with an elbow to the solar-plexus. Winded, Haruhi went on instinct to turn her body over to land on her feet.

"Behind you, fool!" Riin shouted, kicking Haruhi from behind.

Despite the beating she was taking, Haruhi was still able to keep herself from crashing into the rocks as she landed once more on her feet like a cat. She snapped her head up to look at Riin who was standing on higher grounds than her, still smirking.

_I wonder if I'll get lucky again this time…haven't really practiced it much, but with what I did learn was that it wears me out pretty fast… _Haruhi thought, _I wonder how long my body will last after just recovering from being sick?_

"What's the matter, Haruhi? Come at me! Ha ha! Have you used up all the tricks in your sleeve?" Riin taunted.

_Well, only one way to find out._ Haruhi thought.

"This truly is unfortunate for you! I was the greatest warrior among us survivors."

"Survivors?"

"You trained so hard…but your failure was predestined. You've only prolonged the time it takes to be defeated." Riin said as she threw another energy blast attack at Haruhi. But this time it was Riin who was surprised to find that Haruhi had vanished from her sights.

"Kyaaah!" Haruhi yelled, as she kicked Riin in the head, sending Riin soaring through the rocks one after the other, stopping as she crashed into the side of a cliff-face.

"GYAAAH!" Riin screamed, destroying the cliff-side. "Damn you!" she screamed as she saw Haruhi coming straight at her. When Haruhi was close enough she threw a punch at where her face would have been if Haruhi had not seen it coming flipped over Riin. Kicking off from the ground, Haruhi bounced back and landed a round-house kick at Riin's back.

Like Haruhi, Riin flipped over and landed on her feet and propelled forward at Haruhi. She swung her left fist at Haruhi's head, missing as Haruhi dodged below and punched Riin in the stomach. Riin hugged her stomach as she huddled over, coughing up blood that dribbled down her chin.

"Y-you…bitch!" Riin said through gritted teeth as she flipped backwards several yards away from Haruhi. "I can't believe it…she's surpassed my power!"

Haruhi was breathing hard, but she was still not ready as the Spirit Wave still needed time to power up. Especially since she was going to waste it all on one shot. Taking the risk, Haruhi took on the stance that was taught to her by her teacher as her body began to channel the Spirit Wave, sending her power to sky-rocket off the charts. In a flash, Haruhi was back on the offense as she moved swiftly and landed another punch across Riin's face, sending her into the air. As if time had slowed down, Haruhi moved to get behind Riin, landing on her hands as she kicked Riin upwards and then pushed her body onto her feet, returning to her previous stance as her Spirit Wave was seconds away from being ready.

Riin was able to stop herself in midair and seeing Haruhi on the ground she was overcome with rage and in her rage she focused her energy into the palms of both her hands and shot a power blast of energy down at Haruhi. Expecting this, Haruhi had plenty of time to prepare herself as she thrust her palms up and shot her Spirit Wave up at Riin.

Their two powers clashed and were caught in a power struggle. Riin could see that it was like a mirror image of her attack, but the feel of it was different and the purity was clear in its color. Riin could feel that Haruhi's attack was slightly stronger than hers, and she could feel herself being pushed back.

(The Summit)

"Dear me…what now?" Tsuchikage asked sarcastically, knowing exactly what was to be done now. Having all been moved to another location that was most likely not to fall on their heads, the Kages and their guards all stood, still continuing their meeting to come to a conclusion.

"We must form a shinobi alliance." said Gaara, "There is no other way to oppose the power of seven bijuu."

"I recall you were against the idea, Raikage-sama?" said Mizukage, looking at the hot-headed kage.

"It seems no harm has come to my brother…but I refuse to allow Akatsuki to have their way with us any longer! We form a shinobi alliance, and settle this as quickly as possible!"

"What of Konoha?" asked the Tsuchikage, "The Hokage has fled the scene."

"The dark rumors surrounding Danzo are too great. After what he did at this Summit, he has lost all of our trusts! And if the shinobi of Konoha learn of what happened here his position in the village will become strained. He will not last long!"

"I will pass on the news of this shinobi alliance to a Konoha shinobi of whom I trust." said Gaara.

"And that would be?" Raikage asked.

"Hatake Kakashi of the Sharingan." said Gaara.

"The son of White Fang?" Tsuchikage asked, remembering the said shinobi well.

"As a Konoha shinobi myself, I will stand as witness to this and testify against Danzo if it comes down to it." said Kurama.

"Very well, he seems more trustworthy than Danzo at least." said Raikage.

"Raikage-sama, we must make arrangements right away to track down Killer Bee! If Akatsuki's targets are the Hachibi and the Kyuubi, then they must still be pursuing Killer Bee with all their might!" said Shi.

"Quite! Shi, select a search party at once, and contact the village so that they can begin the search at once!" said the Raikage, determined to find his brother.

"Yes, sir!" said Shi.

"We should let team Samui know about this right away, too. Omoi and Karui were really down about this." said Darui.

"In order to stop Madara's _Mooneye _operation, we must on no account permit him to obtain the Hachibi and Kyuubi." said Mizukage, "As such, it seems more prudent for our shinobi alliance to locate the Hachibi and Kyuubi before he can do so, and hide them away from him."

"Y…you've got that right!" Choujuro spoke up, "If he were to revive the Juubi—"

"No…the power of the seven bijuu that Madara has collected is beyond imaginable." said Kurama, "And he may have some kind of jutsu or other secret plan up his sleeve that makes use of them."

"I doubt he'd be so confident otherwise!" said Akatsuchi.

"Should we not count the Hachibi and Kyuubi as a valuable part of our military forces?" asked the Tsuchikage.

"Unthinkable." said Gaara, "Protecting them is a vital object of this war."

"The Kazekage is right," Kurama said, speaking up once more. "I suspect the reason Madara has decided to start this war using the seven bijuu he has collected is because in his current, weakened state, and with the few Akatsuki members remaining to him, it would be too difficult for him to capture the Hachibi and the Kyuubi. Even if he succeeded, the risks would be too high. He may be thinking of using this war to lure them out."

"I can certainly agree with that." said Mizukage.

"I agree with the pretty red-head as well!" said Raikage, making Kurama and everyone sweat-drop, seeing that the Raikage has mistaken Kurama (like many others have before) as a girl. "Considering what it may lead to, we cannot possibly lay the Hachibi and the Kyuubi out right before the enemy's eyes. At any rate, my brother, the Hachibi's Jinchuuriki, is not the kind of man to follow any strategies we might prepare!" Both Shi and Darui had looks on their faces that indicated that Killer Bee was not one for staying the lines. "Who knows what he might end up doing. He would only bring chaos to the battlefield."

"I would say the same of the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, Naruto." said Gaara, making it Temari and Kankuro to now have the same expression as Shi and Darui had earlier.

"Very well, do you accept, then, Tsuchikage-sama, that we should consider the Hachibi and Kyuubi targets to be retrieved, restrained and protected?" asked the Mizukage.

"I will share our information on Killer Bee with the Rock, Mist, Sand, and Leaf villages. I suggest that search teams be organized and mobilized immediately." said the Raikage, "Once the Hachibi is found, I suggest that you send information to me. I am probably the only person to whom my brother will actually listen to. And Kazekage…I trust you will handle the task of passing all this on to Kakashi."

"Yes." said Gaara.

"I met with Hatake Kakashi and the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki on my way to the Summit. They may still be somewhere in Iron Country. We should begin our search for them from here." said Raikage.

"Understood." Gaara said.

"Urm…excuse me…could I ask something?" Choujuro asked meekly.

"What is it?" Raikage asked.

"Well…you see…"

"Spit it out!"

"A—amongst Akatsuki's remaining members…is Hoshigaki Kisame, a member of the Seven Swordsmen like myself. That man possesses…chakra on the level of a Jinchuuriki and Samehada, the most terrible of all the Seven Swordsmen's blades…Put him and that blade together, and you have a human who is able to wield every bit as much power as a Jinchuuriki…effectively a Bijuu without a tail. That is what my senpai have told me…He is a special case…You must be sure not to underestimate him…"

"We are quite aware of that!" said the Tsuchikage, "At any rate, is this all really acceptable? The power of the seven Bijuu that Madara will be sending against us is a huge unknown quantity. That's why I say, it would be more advantageous to us if we were to send the two of them into battle from the start, working alongside the alliance's forces."

"Are you sure about that?" asked Mifune, finally stepping into the conversation. "We see here before us the formation of the first ever true Shinobi Alliance. It's power, too, is a huge unknown quantity. Madara himself is taking a great risk using the power of the seven Bijuu in this way. If it were no risk, then he would not have gone to the trouble of coming here and attempting to negotiate. It would seem that the situation is not entirely in his favor. Furthermore…we samurai, too, will take part in this battle. Tsuchikage-dono, are you still worried despite all of this?"

"Don't forget, Haru has great influence and status among many powerful demons in Makai." said Kurama, "She only needs to suggest the idea to them of fighting and they'll eagerly join forces with us. What do you say, Tsuchikage-sama? With demons as strong as Bijuus fighting on our side, would there really be a need to involve the last two Jinchuurikis?"

The Tsuchikage merely "hmphed!" as he stubbornly turned his nose away from them. It was clear to him that he was on the losing side of the argument.

* * *

Naruto sat atop the roof of the Inn he, Kakashi, and Yamato were staying in after Naruto's failed attempt to change the Raikage's mind about exterminating Sasuke. It was still snowing hard as he was taking the nature around him, collecting Sage chakra.

_If I just keep on as I have been doing, I'm never going to find Sasuke…It's Sennin mode I need to use…First, I should work on extending how long I can hold it for._

"Naruto! Came back inside already!" called Yamato.

Naruto opened his eyes when he sensed familiar chakra from down below where he saw his friends.

"There you are! Finally!" Kiba said.

"Sakura-chan…Sai, Kiba, Bushy-brow!" Naruto said.

"Why are all of you here?" Kakashi asked.

"Naruto…there's something we have to talk about." said Sakura.

* * *

"This is how your selection, Danzo, behaves. The question of who will lead the Shinobi Alliance is still up in the air." said the Tsuchikage. "Are there any who are qualified among the current kages? You're the one who was talking trash about us kages, Mifune."

"I think having Raikage-dono take up the responsibility is the best option…" said Mifune though it was clear that he was still uncertain.

"Didn't you say that he was unqualified because of his emotional nature and reliance on strength?" countered the Tsuchikage.

"There's no question when we consider that the Hachibi is still alive Raikage-dono is also more composed than he was earlier. What I said earlier was hasty…please forgive me. Also, as you all cooperated earlier our counterattack was swift. Furthermore, the Hachibi, which will be the key to success, can only be controlled by Raikage-dono. But there is also Godaime Hokage, who is well known as a prodigal fighter, but we run into the similar conflict as we did with the Kazekage. Her age…and her inexperience in war, play key factors if we are to unite all five nations."

"What do you two think? You know Haruhi the best." said Temari, looking at Kurama and Hiei.

"It's true that Hiei and I have fought alongside Haru on many occasions, we've even fought against her respectively on our own turf. But Haru's fighting strategy always changes from beginning to end and even in between. But she manages to remain consistent even when you don't see it." said Kurama.

"Then instead of the Raikage being the leader of this alliance you think the young Hokage should?" asked Mizukage.

"No, not necessarily." Kurama said.

"Haru may be a fighting genius when the need calls for it, but she knows nothing about war and how to organize a strategic win." said Hiei.

"Agreed. Mifune-sama brought up a good point about age and inexperience. It's best to put Raikage-sama in charge, since he will be more level-headed now that news of his brother is still alive and most likely well." Kurama said, "But the real question is who should be appointed as second-in-command."

"A good point," said Mifune, "A commander is nothing without his second, followed by his third and so on."

"Mizukage, Kazekage, are you alright with this?" asked the Tsuchikage.

"This is no time to be arguing here, I'll trust Raikage." said Mizukage.

"Let's entrust it to the Raikage." said Gaara.

"Ryoutenbin no Oonoki, as the only one who has fought with Madara, your information is indispensable." said Raikage, "Cooperate with us."

"You're talking down at me like you're giving orders, same as ever." said Tsuchikage.

"You don't have to believe in me, but at this rate, the shinobi world as we know it will end. We've got no choice but to put aside our self-interest and cooperate."

"It's better than losing the war, I suppose…Plus, if the shinobi world ends, where will I fight with you? I'll cooperate." said the Tsuchikage, and his words sent an air of relief for everyone as they all felt that things were beginning to look up for them. "The shinobi alliance is hereby formed! We've gotta tell those Daimyo fellas first!"

It was unfortunate that their relief was quickly clouded by concern and fear when they felt two massive powers colliding. They had momentarily forgotten that Haruhi and Riin were battling each other, and from what they were able to sense, it was to the death. Hiei and Kurama were the first to rush off, their teammate and friend was going to die.

* * *

Naruto stood in front of Sakura, looking at her with a confused expression while the others were merely surprised or rolling their eyes.

"What…did you…just say now…Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, his tongue numb for words. "I…dunno if…I heard you right…can you say it again?"

"What I said, Naruto…is that I love you." Sakura said, "I'm saying there's nothing between me and Sasuke anymore. I dunno what I was thinking, liking a person like that. I'm confessing my feelings here so listen up!"

For Naruto, it was too good to be true, the girl he had been in love with since his Academy days was finally returning his feelings. But…somehow…it didn't feel sincere…it felt…

…Fake…

Naruto's joy quickly melted away to suspicions and disgust. Something was up. He just knew it.

"But how…why?" he asked, "If you tell a joke like that in a situation like this, it ain't funny, Sakura-chan. Just what…happened?"

Sakura had to keep her calm, had to convince Naruto somehow so that he wouldn't see through her. "Nothing, really…I just suddenly realized there's no sense in continuing to like someone who's a fugitive and a criminal. I can't stay a kid forever…I want to face reality." She tried to muster up the best, most convincing smile she could. "So, Naruto…no need to keep that promise. Won't you stop chasing Sasuke?"

"What are you—" Yamato was cut off by Kakashi who put an arm out in front of him to signal not to interfere.

Kiba didn't like the fact that Sakura was doing all the talking, but he knew that she was trying to take Naruto's burden unto herself. But it was still a risk, since Naruto and Sakura were teammates, meaning they knew each other well enough to see through the lies…

"Did something happen, Sakura-chan? Why me of all people, all of a sudden…" Naruto said.

"Nothing happened!" Sakura insisted, "If you want to know why I started liking you, I'll say it clearly." She closed the distance between them and embraced Naruto. "Sasuke-kun just keeps getting further from me…but, Naruto…you've always stayed by my side. You've encouraged me…I…finally realized who you really are, Naruto. The hero who protected the village…beloved by everyone in the village…I'm just one of them. That mischievous little dummy I knew…little by little is becoming this great and important man. And I've been watching from right next to you.

"But all Sasuke's done is commit crimes and break my heart…more and more, he's becoming a different person than he was, so distant. But, Naruto…you're right here where I can touch you like this. You make me feel safe…Right now, from the bottom of my heart, I—" Sakura was cut off by Naruto her suddenly gripped her shoulders and pushed back to look at his face.

"Gimme a break, Sakura-chan! I told you that joke's not funny!" he said with a stern expression.

"Have you flipped?" Sakura asked, keeping up her false smile. "I just switched from Sasuke to you…they say a woman's heart is a changeable as the autumn sky, don't they?"

Naruto's grip on her shoulders tightened slightly as he looked her directly in the eyes. "I hate people who lie to themselves."

"Are you saying I'm lying to myself?" Sakura asked, "I'm the only one who knows what I'm thinking! If you don't like me, then just say so! If you're gonna make up excuses—"

"It's just weird! You came all this way just to tell me something like that?"

"Something like that? Something like that? You think it's easy for a girl to confess her feelings? All this way? Of course I'd come all this way! You've always been chasing after Sasuke and putting yourself in danger! Akatsuki is after you because you're the Kyuubi's host! You should be worried for your own safety! I…I don't want you to go after Sasuke if it means putting yourself in danger like that! I've come here because I want you to come back to the village with me! That's _all_!"

"That just sounds like an excuse to me. I think I know you better than that."

"You don't know anything! I don't care about Sasuke anymore now that he's a criminal. So forget about your promise to me."

"This isn't about the promise. I know why Sasuke…is so obsessed with revenge." Naruto said in a serious tone. "He loved his family and his clan, I think it's because he loved them so much that he can't let go."

"Then why did he join Akatsuki after he defeated Itachi?" Kiba asked.

"That's not what happened…the truth is…"

"Naruto!" Kakashi warned, not having to say anything more to remind Naruto of what he, Kakashi and Yamato had agreed upon after their encounter with Madara earlier. They would keep what they had learned between the three of them for now.

"It doesn't have anything to do with my promise to you." Naruto said, "I want to help Sasuke."

Sakura was going to say something more, a last effort to persuade Naruto when she was suddenly paralyzed by a chill that ran through her entire body and gripped her heart with dread. And from the look on Naruto's face, he must have felt it, too, along with everybody else as everything seemed to have gone quiet.

They didn't understand what this sudden force that had a hold on them all was, but one thing was for sure, it meant trouble. Naruto had looked up towards the horizon and saw flashes of light near the mountain range and knew that it wasn't a natural occurrence.

"What do you think it could be? The enemy?" Yamato asked.

"No…It's Haru…" said Kakashi.

"Ah! Naruto, wait!" Sakura called when Naruto suddenly ran into action towards the source of the lights. He didn't hear Kakashi say that it was Haruhi who was fighting as he was hoping that it was Sasuke.

* * *

**AN: Hey everyone, sorry its been forever since I last posted a chapter. Hopefully there are still readers out there who have been waiting for me. Again, sorry for the long wait and hope that you guys leave me some reviews.  
**


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-one

Haruhi could feel her reiki draining quickly into her Spirit Wave Blast and she had no doubt in her mind that Riin was in the same boat as her. It was left now to a battle of will. The tips of her fingers to the base of the inside of her wrist were numb from the extended time of pushing out reiki. She was gambling everything on this attack because she knew that she couldn't win against Riin in a battle of skill. Riin proved her superiority in battle by kicking Haruhi's ass without even breaking a sweat.

Haruhi cursed, the ground beneath her beginning to give way as her feet left imprints in the rocks.

_My whole body hurts! I guess the crash course is a little too much for my body to handle…If I drag this out I'll be the first to fold…but I have to try!_ Haruhi thought, screaming at the top of her lungs, pushing as hard as she could.

Riin screamed back, seeing that she was losing ground and was then consumed by Haruhi's attack. From below, Haruhi could barely keep herself upright, feeling that her knees were about to give out as she breathed hard, beads sweat rolling down from her forehead and making her clothes uncomfortably damp.

Looking down with rage at Haruhi, Riin wiped at her chin and was shocked to see blood staining the back of her gloved fist.

_Blood? I—I shed my noble blood …for this piece of trash? And that knowledge…I cannot endure!_ "I've had enough of this planet!" she screamed, "I'll turn you to ashes—along with it!" Riin shot herself into the air, looking down at Haruhi from several miles above. Both her hands put together and pulled back on her right side. "Dodge _this_ one, trash! Save _yourself—_and _doom_ the earth!"

_Damn! What-what do I do?_ Haruhi thought frantically before she clenched her numb hands into fists and tightened her jaw. _I'll have to try it again but this time…_ Haruhi closed her eyes, knowing she only had seconds but in her mind, it felt like she had hours. And during this decisive moment, Haruhi remembered her father's words and the advice he had given her.

"_Don't be scared."_

Haruhi opened her eyes and looked up at Riin who was still powering up for her attack.

"_If you believe in yourself then anything is possible. Just let everything go, release your emotions and let that be the core of your power."_

Subconsciously, Haruhi slid her right foot behind her and lowered down into fighting stance, pulling her hands back behind her right side much like Riin and powered up for a final attack. Her remaining reiki channeling throughout her entire body. Her eyes glowing from dipping into her life energy reserves.

"You'll never block my Gyarikkuhou! Prepare to die with this world you love!" Riin yelled as she thrust out her palms and blasted her energy out at Haruhi down below.

"Spirit…_Wave_!" Haruhi screamed, thrusting out her palms and shot her energy up to clash once more with Riin's.

Kurama and Hiei arrived just in time for the two powers to collide and with a great push, Haruhi's attack prevailed once again, this time blowing Riin away towards the heavens. Every cell in Haruhi's body ached and she could only pray that it was enough.

"Haru!" Kurama called as he and Hiei ran to their friend's aide.

"Kurama…Hiei…?" Haruhi blinked her eyes as she watched her two friends arrive at her side. "Wh-what are you doing here…?"

"We got worried." Kurama said, putting a gentle hand on Haruhi's back that made her yelp in pain. "Ah—sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!"

"The power you two were putting out could be felt all the way at the Summit. Even those pathetic samurai could feel it." said Hiei.

"What on earth did you do to get in this state?" Kurama asked.

"I…did something…too much for my body…" Haruhi managed to say, "I think you guys should go…"

"What? But why?" Kurama asked.

"She's still alive." Haruhi said, "And to be honest, I'm all out of juice…I'll probably end up using what's left of my life energy to try and beat her."

"Haru…" Kurama said.

"Don't be so dramatic, you sound like Kuwabara." Hiei said, "Don't think you can fight this battle alone."

Kurama smiled and nodded his head in agreement. "Yes, please, Haru, let us—your friends—help you."

Haruhi was taken aback for a moment as she stared at Kurama and then at Hiei before smiling weakly at them. "You guys…thanks."

Riin managed to slip off from the front of Haruhi's Spirit Wave Blast and was angrier than before. All she could see was red as she breathed heavily.

"CURSE YOU!" she screamed, "Why…why? It can't be! I am the greatest Saiyan warrior alive!" Riin huffed as she contemplated her next move and smirked. "Time to stop worrying about being _pretty_…I'll make the Saiyan transformation…and **crush** her! Heh heh…my giant ape form is enough to terrify even **me!** It's a shame there's no full moon tonight…and its unbelievable that I'd have to resort to this to defeat that trash. So be it…I'll lose a bit of strength but I have no other choice. Her shock will be worth it.

"She's finally coming down…" Haruhi said, sensing Riin's descent. Within a minute, Riin had touched down on the demolished rocks several yards from Haruhi and her teammates.

"I can see that you've called upon the help of your friends. No matter, I'll kill them, too." Riin said with confidence. "It's lucky for you that the moon isn't full tonight."

"The moon? What does that have anything to do with this?" Haruhi asked.

"Don't play the fool…" Riin said, as what Haruhi had thought was a belt unraveled from around Riin's waist, revealing to be a tail. "Do you even _know_ how we transform by seeing the full moon?"

"Trans…form?" Haruhi was confused, even more so by the mere fact that Riin had a tail.

"Moonlight is only sunlight reflected—but only when reflected by the moon does it contain _green_-spectrum radiation. When the moon is full, that radiation exceeds seventeen million zeno units per second. And when we absorb that full amount through our eyes, the Saiyan reaction is set off in a certain gland in our tails and our transformation begins. There are many moons around many planets in this galaxy, but no matter their size, their green radiation will no exceed seventeen million Z.P.S. without the circular reflective space of a full moon. However…" Riin held up her right hand, her palm facing upwards as she produced a white orb of brightly glowing energy. "The greatest Saiyans can compress the planet's atmosphere with a power ball to create a small, artificial moon that reflects seventeen million zenos!"

"An artificial moon? Is that even possible?" Hiei wondered.

"This doesn't look good for us." said Kurama.

"It is time, child of Kakarrot! It is finally time for you to die! It is time we end our fathers' rivalry! A low-ranked fighter—simply shouldn't challenge one of the elite!" Riin said as she laughed in triumph and threw the power ball into the sky where its glow was as bright and intense as the full moon's.

_Her power went down as soon as she made that strange light. I wonder what sort of transformation will take form._ Hiei thought, eager for a challenge.

"Too bad you don't have a tail!" Riin laughed as she stared intensely up at the bright orb in the sky. Her pupils dilated and her canines extended. Haruhi and her teammates watched in horror as Riin began to transform right before their eyes. Her features morphed and stretched and her body grew to a massive scale. Her transformation turned her into a monstrous ape.

"N—no way…" Haruhi said, her voice quivering and her eyes wide with horror. Riin roared, her very voice making the earth tremble as if it, too, were shaking in terror.

"Its…horrifying…" Kurama murmured.

"When I was a kid…my jii-chan told me a story about a monster ape that only came out on the night of a full moon. He said to never go outside and to sleep early…Seeing this…it makes sense now…" Haruhi said.

"What? You aren't making any sense!" Hiei said.

"**HA HA HA! What do you think of THIS, Haruhi? A Saiyan is most powerful in its ape form. A Saiyan…that still has its **_**tail**_**!"**

"MOVE!" Haruhi screamed as Riin smashed the ground that Haruhi, Kurama, and Hiei were all standing upon and jumped out of the way. Unfortunately for Haruhi, she was the focus of all of Riin's attacks as she hadn't been fast enough to dodge a damaging kick from the ape.

Haruhi bounced off against the rocks before landing a belly-flop on the ground. She knew her body was on the verge of failing her, she felt that she had broken ribs, the feeling in her hands were still gone, and she was positive that her left middle and ring finger were broken since they were bent at an angle that wasn't natural. But she had no choice but to keep fighting.

She _wanted_ to keep fighting.

She wanted to _protect_ what she was fighting for.

Finding her second-wind, Haruhi shot into the air above Riin's head, dodging another crushing punch but was caught off guard by her tail as she was swatted like a fly and sent crashing into the rocks.

"**Don't die before I can kill you!"**

"Rose Whip!" Kurama's trademark whip lashed at the right side of Riin's face, irritating her as she swung her fist at Kurama, hitting him and sending him to crash into the rocks as well.

"Fist of the Mortal Flame!" Hiei came up with a frontal assault, attacking Riin by punching her straight in the stomach. Riin growled as she punched at Hiei, who was quick enough to dodge and then hit her again with another Mortal Flames attack before he was caught from behind by Riin's tail.

Haruhi climbed her way out from the rubble and could see that Riin was marching up towards her.

"**It's about time!"** Riin roared, lifting up her left foot and brought it down hard with the intention of crushing Haruhi underneath. Haruhi jumped out of the way and tried to make a run for it to gain distance but had been caught by a back-hand from Riin and was slammed into a cliff side before falling forward to the ground. Riin leapt over to where Haruhi was and the edge of her boot crushed Haruhi's legs from the knees down. A scream of agony erupted from Haruhi's throat, alerting her two teammates of the danger she was in.

"**Tsk! Tsk! Silly me! I've left you alive!"** Riin said in amusement, **"Better hope my aim is true this time…Better hope you die! Or would you rather watch Earth destroyed?"**

"Sh-shut up…Riin…you beat me…you're stronger than what I thought…B-but if you think…this is something to be proud of…y-you're gonna learn…you're gonna pay someday…" Haruhi said.

"**HAH!"** Riin scuffed at Haruhi's words and her cockiness was what Haruhi was counting on as she managed to raise her right arm and shoot one last Spirit Gun at Riin's right eye. She screamed as she threw her head back, covering her damaged eye in desperation and pain.

"Just…call it…something to remember me by…" Haruhi said weakly.

"**Impudent…worm! You scarred my face!" **Riin screamed as she reached down and grabbed Haruhi not so gently and squeezed her body in her massive paws. **"I'll CRUSH you!"**

Haruhi choked out a scream as she was slowly being squeezed to death by Riin while the giant ape grinned with sick amusement.

"**Oh! I felt some bones break on that one!"**

"Haru!" Kurama gasped.

"Kurama, you need to distract Riin long enough for me to get behind her and cut off that cursed tail of hers!" said Hiei.

"That's right! The tail—the source of her power to transform!" Kurama said, "I'll do what I can and leave the rest to you, Hiei!"

Hiei nodded his head and they both separated into different directions. With Kurama taking the frontal assault, Hiei went about to sneak up behind Riin, and right as he was leaping in midair to cut off Riin's tail with his katana, both he and Kurama were surprised when Riin jumped up and Hiei missed.

"Damn!" Hiei cursed.

"**Did you really think I wouldn't know? I knew you sentimental worms wouldn't let a companion come by himself! Heh heh! After I kill this girl you'll be next."**

_She's kept her wits…even in monster form!_ Hiei thought, _There must be another way to distract her…_

"**I told you from the start that you are no match for me."** Riin said as she covered Haruhi's head in an attempt to finally crush the Spirit Detective to death.

"Stop!" Kurama screamed, "Let her go!"

Riin laughed but then suddenly choked as her grin vanished as she realized that the source of her strength had been cut off.

"Chidori!"

Kakashi landed a few feet to Riin's left, the severed tail landing with a heavy thud as the intense lightning from Kakashi's right hand faded.

"**A—third one? I didn't—count on a third! My…TAIL!"** Riin's body quivered as her size began to decrease. She released Haruhi's body which fell to the snowy ground with a dead weight. Riin's features regressed back to her humanoid form, breathing heavily. And with only one good eye to see with, she was now dead-set on exacting revenge on the one who cut off her tail.

"Senpai…" Kurama gapped, having been too focused on Riin to have noticed Kakashi's approach.

"Good, now that her tail's gone, her main source of strength is also gone." said Kakashi as he turned to face everyone. "Sorry to have arrived late."

"Haru-nee!" Naruto called from several yards away with Yamato and Sakura's group.

"Suicidal fools…" Riin said through gritted teeth, "Do you know what it means to make me angry…? Do you want to die so much? You will!"

To everyone's surprise, Riin still had strength left as she launched forward towards Kurama with a wicked grin.

"You'll be the first." Riin said before punching Kurama in the stomach that made him double-over, the air from his lungs compressed from him. "What's wrong? You seemed so eager to fight me before!"

As Riin raised her right arm to elbow down behind Kurama's neck, Hiei had launched an attack from behind, but Riin sensed him coming and did a backwards roundhouse kick, kicking Hiei away where he bounced twice across the rocks before hitting a ledge where small boulders buried him.

"Heh! I guess he wanted to be first." Riin said before turning back to face Kurama and pressed her foot against his head. "Get up! Let me have some fun before I kill you. Don't tell me that this is your best." She bent down and hauled Kurama up and butted her head hard against Kurama's forehead, breaking the skin as blood trickled down his face.

Riin released Kurama, letting him drop to the ground before going after Kakashi, figuring him to be the one who cut off her tail.

"Naruto! Everyone! Stay back!" Kakashi commanded, halting the Konoha nins.

"Kakashi-sensei! Look out!" Naruto warned.

When Kakashi looked back towards Riin, his one exposed eye widened and was given no time to react as Riin twisted around and kicked him sideways in the chest, sending him several yards away. The Copy-nin had no way of knowing that Riin was pretty much depleted of her energy after transforming back from her ape form and was reduced to hand-to-hand combat with Kakashi.

Kakashi was astounded by how resilient Riin was, as beaten and drained as she was, to even have the strength to push him back as they fought. While Kakashi and Riin were fighting, Kurama had managed to get onto his feet and staggered towards where Haruhi lied.

"Haru…it seems…hopeless…" Kurama breathed as he drew slowly closer towards his teammate.

"Ku…rama…" Haruhi said weakly, wincing as she spoke. "Hurry…while I'm still alive…I can give you…the last of my power…"

"Wh—what do you mean?" Kurama asked.

"Give me…your hand." Haruhi said.

"Just hold your hand?" Kurama asked as he knelt down beside Haruhi, reaching for Haruhi's right hand. She cringed again and bit back a cry of pain. "Your arm—it's broken!"

"Just hold it—don't let go!" Haruhi said, panting softly as the pain dull to the minimal. "Brace yourself…"

Kurama was amazed by the amount of reiki that was left in Haruhi as she transferred it into his right hand. It was warm and it made every nerve ending in his hand become increasingly sensitive to everything.

"Haru—this…this is incredible!"

"Palm up…concentrate…it'll become a sphere…" Haruhi explained, "Do it…Kurama…"

Kurama was again amazed when the energy left his hand and became a sphere as Haruhi said it would.

"Genkai's ultimate Spirit Wave attack…the Spirit Bomb…You have to hit her with it…first try…I…don't have the strength to make another one…this is…our only chance. But don't aim with your eyes…feel out the evil in her heart…"

"Don't worry, Haru. Leave it to me." Kurama said, standing up with the sphere and hurried to get into position to hit Riin at the right moment.

Kakashi was still on the defense, barely finding opportunity to be on offense against Riin. He had even revealed his Sharingan but found that even with its help, it was still difficult to keep up with the Saiyan.

"Heh! I tried telling your friend, even an infinite number of lesser is no match for one of the elite." Riin said as she faced Kakashi after kicking him down again. "I've had my fun with you, now it's time to die." Riin began to shoot multiple energy blasts from both her palms, alternating one with the other and Kakashi had to quickly evade each one, knowing that he wouldn't survive if he were hit by them. But his evasion couldn't last forever and with one misstep he was caught in the crossfire and sent into the rocks from the force of the explosion.

Riin ceased firing energy blasts and launched forward after Kakashi, not being one who was above to kick someone while they were down. "Take a good look, Haruhi! Say goodbye to your friend!"

_I've got it!_ Kurama thought, finally getting a lock on Riin's evil reiki.

"What're you doing? Just throw it already!" Naruto yelled.

"Naruto!" both Sakura and Yamato gasped.

It was too late, Kurama had thrown the sphere, despite the fact that Naruto's outburst had gotten Riin's attention and alerted her to Kurama and the sphere. And because of that blunder, Riin saw the sphere and jumped over the sphere that was then heading towards Kakashi.

"Senpai! You don't have evil reiki! Bounce it back!" Kurama shouted.

Kakashi stretched out his hands, finding himself bracing himself as his feet slid back through the snow before he was able to repel the Spirit Bomb back up at an angle at astonishing speed towards Riin. The Saiyan couldn't fly away fast enough before she was caught by it from behind and was propelled upwards to the sky, screaming as her body was wracked with pain of unspeakable heights.

"You did it!" Naruto cheered, running out to the worn and injured fighters. Sakura and everyone followed closely behind.

"Haruhi-san!" Sakura called, running over to where Haruhi laid and dropped to her knees as she began to use her medical jutsu to begin healing the injured girl.

"Will she be alright?" Kiba asked.

"I'll…live." Haruhi said with a weak grin. "I've been through worse."

"How can you say such a thing when nearly every bone in your body is either broken or fractured? You're lucky that your spine is still intact!" Sakura scolded.

"Looks like our Godaime is getting a scolding." Kiba grinned.

Yamato and Naruto had gone to help Kakashi and Kurama and bring them back to the group so that Sakura could see to their wounds after Haruhi.

"You both…look pretty awful…" Haruhi said, seeing Kakashi and Kurama.

"Not as bad as you." Kakashi said, pulling his hatai-ate down to cover his right eye. Haruhi smiled as she turned her head back to look up at the cool grey sky. And then her smile vanished as she saw something falling.

"What's that…?" she muttered.

Everyone looked up and all gasped when they saw that it was Riin, falling back to earth and landed in the rocks and snow. Assumed dead. But to all of their surprise, Riin was already stirring and pushing herself up to stand.

"You've given me quite a beating…I almost thought you had me on that last one." Riin said, standing up despite how critical her injuries were. "Oh, you've taken a lot out of me, but I have enough strength left to finish _you!_ After I've killed you all…I'll take my time to heal…and then I'll finally destroy this wretched world and all who live on it! You pests…taking my powers to the limit…actually _hurting_ me…but what hurts me most is my pride…for struggling with scum like you…So die! Just DIE!"

"I insist you go first!" Hiei said, having flash-stepped behind Riin and swung downwards with his katana, slashing his sharp blade diagonally down her back.

"Curse…you…!" Riin breathed, falling to one knee.

"Hiei!" Kurama called, knowing perfectly well that if Hiei were to kill Riin, he would have to face the consequence from Reikai law for killing a human, even if they are evil.

"As you said before," Hiei said, raising his katana and turned it downward for piercing. "Just die."

Just as Hiei brought down his katana to stab through Riin, she had been absorbed into the time-space of Madara's Sharingan as he appeared in her place and caught Hiei's blade with his gloved hand.

"Forgive the interruption but we will have to postpone this battle for another time." Madara said as he kicked Hiei back where he bounced and rolled across the snow, stopping just feet from the others. "Be grateful that I'm feeling generous since I don't plan on losing one of my best just yet. Bye-bye!"

With that, Madara once again escaped, taking Riin with him.


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-two

Haruhi, Naruto, and everyone returned back to the village within the Land of Iron where Haruhi, Kurama, Hiei, and Kakashi had their wounds treated. Sakura had given Haruhi a pill to ease the pain as she set the broken bones. Hiei had refused being treated by Sakura, claiming that demons healed much faster than humans but despite it all, he still took the medicinal powder that Kurama had made from his plants. Haruhi was a different story, having instantly refused Sakura's medical treatment after seeing the syringes in her nap-sack.

It took a lot of convincing on Sakura's part to let her heal Haruhi's injuries by promising that she wasn't going to give her a shot. It wasn't until Kurama gave Haruhi an herbal sedative to help her rest was Sakura able to complete the task of healing the stubborn girl.

After her work was done, Sakura gave the excuse that since Naruto had rejected her after confessing, that she would be returning back to the village with Kiba, Sai, and Lee. And shortly after, Sai's shadow clone entered the room where Naruto was in with Haruhi and the others who stayed behind.

"Sai, why did you…?" Naruto began.

"It appears to be a bunshin." said Kakashi.

"When Sakura confessed to you earlier, I will now tell you what she could not." Sai said.

"What…?" Naruto said, a bit confused.

"I figured something was up." Kakashi mumbled.

"What is it, Sai?" Yamato asked.

"Sakura did not come here to confess her love. She was supposed to tell you the collective decision made by all your former Academy classmates." said Sai.

"I knew something didn't feel right. So she was hiding something." said Naruto.

"With everything I've learned, I can understand why she acted the way she did." Sai said.

"Sai…tell me." Naruto said.

"The Leaf is going to dispose of Sasuke itself. Your ex-classmates are preparing to act as we speak."

Silence filled the room as the news sunk in. And from what could be seen, it affected Naruto deeply. What was more, Kurama, knowing Haruhi's secret from Kuwabara about her and Sasuke being lovers, made him wonder how Haruhi would react. Would she keep her cool or would she become hysteric in a way that she would act reckless and use her power as Hokage to stop it?

The thought of Haruhi simply smacking everyone over the head seemed more like the kind of thing she'd do.

Naruto stood and grabbed Sai's shoulders. "And Sakura-chan—Sakura-chan's okay with it too? But Sakura-chan loves Sasuke! She wouldn't just—"

"Sasuke is only helping spread his darkness across the world. Letting him live will only sow the seeds of another war. He's just another criminal now. Sasuke lost all hope of coming back when his group, Akatsuki, attacked our village. Your fellow Leaf shinobi would never accept him now. Sakura's not stupid, either, she understands the position he's put us all in. That's why she came all the way out here. To tell you herself."

"Th—then why didn't she tell me herself?" Naruto asked.

"It's not an easy thing to say, especially since she knew how much it would hurt you." said Kakashi.

"But still…" Naruto said weakly.

"Giving up on Sasuke and choosing you was Sakura's way of freeing you from your promise." said Sai, "She just couldn't bring herself to tell you the truth. When you refused to stop trying to save him, she was only thinking of you. And…I think you understood that. Actually…Sakura forbade any of us from telling you the truth, she said she wanted to tell you in person…that it was her duty."

"But she must've known how Naruto would react, she never intended to tell him the truth at all, did she?" said Yamato, "What's she going to do now?"

"I honestly have no idea, but if I had to guess, I'd say Sakura…"

"She plans to kill Sasuke herself." Kakashi said, getting straight to the point.

"Does she, Sai?" Yamato gasped.

"Probably, yes." Sai confirmed as he looked directly at Naruto who was now bowing his head in depression and betrayal. "Sakura smiled at me and said she'd work with everyone, but _this_ time I knew it was a façade."

"No way…Sakura-chan would never…She loves Sasuke so much…" Naruto muttered.

"It's _because_ she loves him that she doesn't want him to sink any lower. It's _because _she loves him that she wants to rescue him from the evil path he walks now. Even if the only way to do it is to kill him with her own two hands, I believe she's prepared to do it. Because she loves him. Which also means, she's willing to let you hate her forever, Naruto. I think its her way of atoning for saddling you with the burden of that promise for many years. She's asked too much of you…so she's trying to end all this herself."

"Sai…why are _you_ telling me this?" Naruto asked, sadness in his blue eyes.

"I feel like I may have helped push Sakura into her current state of mind, too. So I wanted you to know, I knew I couldn't just let her go alone. Like I said, I'm part of Team Seven, too."

_Naruto's mind must be reeling from all of this, what'm I gonna do?_ Kakashi silently wondered.

The window to the room they were staying in was slid open from the outside, revealing Gaara and his two siblings.

"We came to bring you guys up to speed, so listen carefully." Temari began, "Because _a lot_ went down at the Kage Summit."

"Ah, I had nearly forgotten thanks to Riin." said Kurama.

"Oh! Hey! You guys are still alive!" said Kankuro, noticing Kurama, Hiei, and Haruhi in the corner of the room.

"I assume you've managed to defeat her?" Gaara asked.

"No, she was much stronger than we had anticipated. We would all be dead if not for Madara's interference and then disappearing." Kurama said.

"That bastard ran away like a coward." Hiei said.

"But you're alive…I'm glad." said Gaara.

"Tell that to Haru when she wakes up, she'd be less than grateful to have been spared versus dieing in battle." Kurama said, "But please, tell Kakashi-senpai and his team on what has happened."

Temari nodded and did just that, briefing everyone on the events that had occurred at the Summit.

"Wow…talk about a long meeting," Yamato said dryly, "I knew Danzou couldn't be trusted."

"I've never been enthused about the idea of becoming Hokage…" Kakashi said, "But even in this situation, I can't do anything until we get back to Konoha and get everyone else's opinions. But also, we still have Haruhi, though she is incapacitated at the moment, I'm sure she'll have a few things to say, too."

"Don't count on it," Hiei said, "Remember, you all forced the position of Hokage onto her when she was so unwilling. She wouldn't hesitate to be rid of the title and responsibility."

"True," Kakashi said with a sweat-drop, remembering the broken ankle and cracked ribs he received from the young Haruhi when she outright refused to cooperate.

"Madara declared war on the whole world, there's no time for politics." said Temari.

"I have a feeling everyone will agree right away, we can continue the discussion once Kakashi-senpai is Hokage." said Yamato, "They know that if they wait Madara and Akatsuki will make the first move, and we'll be stuck reacting to them."

"Very true…" Kakashi said as he looked over his shoulder at Naruto. "Then there's Sasuke…"

"Sheesh…I can't believe he attacked the Kage Summit." Yamato said.

"Naruto…just so we're clear, this is a war to protect the eight and nine-tails." Gaara said, "In other words, a war to protect _you_. And in doing so, the whole shinobi world. I, as the Kazekage, am putting my life on the line for you. And if Sasuke, a member of Akatsuki, stands against me, he'll be shown no mercy. Sasuke has stopped looking for you. He seeks the darkness of his own free will. Naruto…you once said to me, 'I'm the future Hokage.'" Gaara entered the room and walked up to Naruto and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well…I became the Kazekage. If you're truly prepared to take up the mantle of a kage, then as Sasuke's friend, you know what you have to do."

Naruto shoved Gaara's hand away with the back of his forearm, his emotions conflicting with his sense of duty as a shinobi.

"We relayed the message, our job's done. Let's go home, Gaara." said Temari.

Gaara could see that Naruto was struggling with the truths he's been told in one day and knew there was nothing more he could do. And so, he turned away to rejoin his sibling outside.

"We'll return to our village, the Sand will act as if you were Hokage, Hatake Kakashi. As the Leaf's ally, we'll ask you to ensure there's no confusion about what's happening." said Temari.

"Roger that." said Kakashi.

"I consider you a friend," Gaara said, his back still to the group, "As a child, 'friend' was simply a word. Nothing more, nothing less. But after I met you, I understood that the word's meaning was what counted. Think carefully about what that word means, and what you can really do for Sasuke." After that was said, Gaara and his siblings left to return to their village.

"Naruto…" Yamato said but Kakashi stopped him.

"He needs to come up with his own answer." Kakashi said.

"So what's our next move?" Yamato asked, "I think we should get back to the village and inform everyone as soon as possible. And there's Sakura to deal with."

"I'm still with her," Sai said, "I'll make sure she doesn't go anywhere near Sasuke, so you can rest assured she'll be okay."

"Maybe, but I feel I should go personally and talk her out of this." said Kakashi, "Okay, Yamato, you and Naruto head back to the village. I'll hunt down Sakura and bring her back myself, she's nowhere near Sasuke's level, she's essentially marching to her own death. As for informing everyone about the Summit, I'll send my ninja hounds ahead. We need to get the word out ASAP."

"Roger that." Yamato said.

"Okay, Sai, tell me where Sakura is, if you would." Kakashi said, looking at Sai's doppelganger.

"Hai." Sai said.

A thump alerted everyone to look to Naruto who laid on the floor, breathing erratically as he broke out in a cold sweat.

"Snap out of it, Naruto!" Yamato said, going to the teenager's side.

"He's hyperventilating!" Kurama said, also going to Naruto's side.

"Take slow, deep breaths!" Yamato said, "Naruto!"

* * *

(Inside the Time-Space of the Sharingan)

Sasuke was still unconscious after Madara had rescued him from the Tsuchikage's attack and though he was somewhat aware of what was going on around him (with Karin panicking beside him), he was finding his subconscious floating around in his memories. Those painful memories of his clan's slaughter…the source of his nightmares…and of his brother, and the pain he felt for killing their family.

But then…his mind wandered to a more recent memory…of how he and a certain Spirit Detective began their little rendezvous. Just a little over a year ago…when he had just turned sixteen…he had been…traveling through the Land of Grass, returning from one of Orochimaru's many secret bases when he…

"Damnit!" Riin hissed, the wound on her back burning and aching. She blamed herself for getting over confident and let her guard slip for only a moment. Though her mistake began with not killing them all off in the first place.

Sasuke opened his eyes and sat up, taking a moment to grab his bearings when he caught sight of Madara and the worse for wear looking young woman who sat behind Madara. Never before had Sasuke seen her but couldn't help but think for a moment that she looked like Haruhi.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Riin-chan, you'll get another chance later." Madara said as he walked past her towards where Sasuke and Karin were.

"Let us out of here." Sasuke said.

"Relax, would you? We'll leave in a second. I even have a little souvenir waiting outside for you." Madara said, "Karin, let Riin bite you so that she may heal quicker."

"What?" Karin looked past Madara to the girl sitting behind him, looking injured beyond words could describe.

"You see, Riin had been fighting Haruhi of Konoha, and foolishly drew the battle out longer than was planned." Madara said.

"Shut up! I don't need that girl's help." Riin said.

"You will take whatever help I offer you, understood?" Madara said, forcing Riin into silent submission. "Karin, I will not repeat myself."

"But I…" Karin began.

"Karin, just do it." Sasuke said.

With hesitation, Karin stood up and walked over to Riin, pulling back her sleeve and holding out her scarred arm to Riin. A look of disgust crossed Riin's face before she held onto Karin's wrist and bit down hard enough to taste the tang of blood. Karin bit back a yelp as Riin absorbed her chakra, but thankfully for Karin, Riin only took what she needed before pulling back and releasing Karin.

When Karin withdrew her arm from Riin, she couldn't help but notice the strange flow of chakra within the girl. It was dark and heavy, but nothing like Sasuke's whose was even darker and heavily layered with malice. But Riin's chakra flowed in a way that wasn't like the others, instead of flowing through the channels like blood through the veins, hers was mostly stored up in the center of the body where it was repressed, as if reserved to be stored up. And during the moment when Riin bit her, Karin felt that there was something else beneath the strange chakra…something inhuman.

"Good, now, shall we be going?" Madara asked.

* * *

(Inside Haruhi's Subconscious)

Haruhi opened her eyes again, shielding them from the bright light of the sun. The smell of salt in the air and the sound of the ocean and the feeling of warm sand beneath her bare feet.

"Damn…I'm back here again…" she muttered, "I guess I have no imagination when it comes to dreams."

"It's not a dream, not really, that is."

Haruhi turned around and saw her father standing with his hands on his hips and a cheerful grin on his face.

"I see, I'm back in limbo again." Haruhi said.

"Hmm…I suppose that's what you can call this place." said her father, "But you're here for a reason and while you're asleep is the only way for us to communicate without breaking any rules."

"So are you gonna give me any more parental advise?" Haruhi asked sarcastically.

"You could say that. I was watching your battle with Riin, and I'll tell ya, that was some pretty intense fighting. And man, that Riin—she's just like her dad, through and through, talk about stubborn!"

Haruhi blinked, "You knew Riin's father?"

"Well yeah! Vegeta and I go way back and I'll tell ya, that guy can get pretty scary when he got angry."

"Wait, so then—you know what a Saiyan is, right? Riin said something about it before our fight and I still have no clue what she meant."

"Saiyans were the name of my clan. I was born into the Saiyan clan, but because my power level was so low, I had been sent away as a baby to a different village, my mission was to destroy Konohagakure but because I hit my head my nature changed. Gohan-jii-chan, he was such a kind-hearted man to put up with me. And my adopted parents, too, they were so patient with me."

"Wait—you said you were sent to Konoha as a baby to destroy it? So then…does the Saiyan clan still exist? Will they ever come for me and nii-san and…"

"Hm? Well, yeah. But you and your brother were born as Konoha ninjas, so obviously you guys aren't part of that clan, and I consider myself a Konoha citizen, too, despite my origins. I first learned about Saiyans back when this real strong guy named Raditz came to Konoha and kidnapped your brother Susumu. He told me a little but I had no desire to learn anything more because I had made Konoha my home. And you shouldn't worry about it too much."

"But what are Saiyans?"

"Saiyans are a warrior clan, from what I remember Vegeta telling me once, our people would travel and conquer countries to sell off to other clans and lords to inhabit. From my point of view it's a selfish trade. But we were once considered the strongest and most feared clan until our home was destroyed by a tyrannical monster. On top of that, we also get stronger from every battle we fight and we can even ascend to the next level called Super Saiyan."

"Super Saiyan? What the hell is that?"

"A Super Saiyan is…well…um…hm…maybe its better if I show you."

"Show me?"

"Watch closely, Haru." Her father said as he concentrated his energy and with a cry he transformed right before Haruhi's eyes. His hair rising up and turning blonde and his black eyes changing color to a bright green. His aura was visible as it, too, had a golden glow. "This…is a Super Saiyan. There are levels beyond this stage, called Ascended Saiyan and beyond that is a Super Saiyan Three. Each level stronger than the last."

Haruhi was stunned by what she was seeing and wondered if Riin or even her brother had the ability to turn Super Saiyan.

Her father returned to his normal state, the bright golden glow vanishing. "So, what d'ya think? Neat, right?"

"Uh-huh," Haruhi said dumbly, nodding her head.

"So listen, you have the ability to become a Super Saiyan, but you have to utilize your emotions because that is the source of your power. If you can't do that, then there's no way you'll achieve that level. You're a strong fighter, Haru, and I'm proud of you, but you've got a ridiculous amount of stubbornness that prevents you from tapping into your true potential."

"Can…can nii-san become one? A Super Saiyan?"

"I don't know, but I have no doubt that he has the ability to do it. Even Riin has potential to tap into that type of power. Speaking of which, I'm sure Vegeta wouldn't want Riin to follow down the same path that he once did. Seeking vengeance for her family, much like your friend Sasuke."

"What do you mean?"

"Uchiha Madara…he killed the Saiyan clan, slaughtered them by turning them against each other. And using that against Riin to hold her under his control. He's using her hatred for him to his advantage, that's why you two fought, she believes that with every battle she'll become strong enough to defeat Madara and avenge her clan he murdered."

Haruhi's eyes widened, not having expected that and she couldn't help but emphasize with Riin for wanting revenge for the death of her family. If she were in Riin's place, she would want the same thing.

"Now, I want to teach you something that was taught to me by my master. It's called the Kamehameha Wave!"

"The what?"

"The Kamehameha. Its an attack that's gotten me out of trouble countless times. I showed your brother how to use it when we trained back when I was still alive and I'm now going to pass it onto you, Haru!"

"But I don't think—"

"Here, I'll show you!" Haruhi was resigned to close her mouth as she watched her father walk towards the ocean and took on a rather familiar stance, touching the heels of his palms together to her right side as he began to collect energy. "Ka…me…ha…me…HA!"

A blast of bright blue energy exploded out from his palms and shot across the surface of the ocean, splitting the salty water and forcing them to rise up as if getting out of the energy's way. Haruhi's eyes widened and her jaw going slightly slack, the power and speed was stronger than her Spirit Gun and she had no doubt the size could be manipulated depending on how much was put into it.

"And that's the Kamehameha Wave!" said Haruhi's father as he turned back around to face Haruhi. "I learned that technique back when I was just a boy under the tutelage of Roshi-sensei. And there are a lot of things that I want to teach you."

"But how can you teach me anything when we can only communicate when I'm asleep? It's not as if I can learn a new technique in just a few hours, y'know!" Haruhi said.

"Whoa now! Let me finish. Geez! You've definitely got your mother's temper, that's for sure. Now then, once you wake up, I need you to go and find Korin's Tower. Tell Master Korin that I sent you and he'll give you permission to go further to Kami's Lookout which floats above his tower. Once there, tell Kami the same thing, that I sent you, and he'll understand immediately."

"All right, but where exactly is this Korin's Tower?"

"Oh, right, you'll have to travel to Kumo to the Floating Mountains. It'll be hard to find but I trust you'll find it easily since it gives off a special chi. But don't worry too much, I'm sure you'll be able to sense it."

Haruhi felt a slight shudder as her physical body was beginning to awake. "Damn, running out of time."

"Listen, I know you and your friends are about to get involved in a war, and that you don't want to leave them, but trust me, the only way to help your friends is if you let me train you for a bit."

"But you're dead!"

"That's why I'm telling you to find Kami, he'll be able to help. Okay?"

Before Haruhi could reply back, she woke up.

* * *

**Please Review!**


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-three

Riin watched the battle between Sasuke and Danzo, impressed by their level of power respectively. The only other human she had ever fought to have such enormous power was Uchiha Madara, but he had mainly relied on his ocular power rather than his physical one. But nonetheless, Riin was still impressed.

It was clear to her that Sasuke would win, considering that the young Uchiha had the advantage, being a natural inheritor of the Sharingan thus giving him easier control versus Danzo's implanted Sharingan eyes, stolen from the dead Uchihas. Riin couldn't help but think Danzo to be disgusting and a disgrace to all true warriors.

What Riin found most interesting was Sasuke's Suusano'o, the ultimate defense.

"What do you think of Sasuke's abilities? Impressive, neh?" asked Madara.

Riin didn't say anything in reply, her only concern at the moment was regaining her health so that she could go after Haruhi and finish what they started. For once in her life, she had a desire to face someone on fair terms, winning the fight clean. She didn't know whether it was her Saiyan blood calling for battle or because she finally found another Saiyan like herself, either way, she was looking forward to their next meeting.

Riin was no fool though, she kept her emotions in check at all times, especially when around Madara, only allowing anger and irritation out to keep her sanity. She hated Uchiha Madara with every fiber of her being and wanted nothing more than to tear his head clear off his shoulders.

_I __**will**__ kill him._ Riin thought with absolute determination.

Uchiha Madara knew of Riin's intention of killing him and he used that to his advantage by hanging that bit of bait in front of her to keep her on his leash. He was using her revenge for his gain, much like with Sasuke.

The battle between Sasuke and Danzo was long and intense and like a true Uchiha, Sasuke, he remained to keep the upper hand even when it seemed the favor was on Danzo's side.

* * *

(Land of Iron, Inn)

"Haru, it's good to see that you're doing better now." Kurama said once Haruhi had woken up.

"Yeah? Well I feel worse." Haruhi said as she struggled to sit up. Kurama placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her from straining herself.

"No need to exert yourself." Kurama said.

Haruhi sighed.

"Shuichi-kun is right, it's best to simply rest for now." said Yamato.

"Where's Naruto?" Haruhi asked.

"He's also resting," Yamato said, "He had a panic attack earlier but it's nothing to worry about."

Haruhi forcefully pushed Kurama's hand away and sat up, though her cracked ribs made it difficult. Seeing it pointless, Kurama helped her sit up completely.

"Wake him up." Haruhi said, "I have to talk to him."

"Haru, it's been decided by Kakashi-senpai that we all go back to the village." Kurama said, "He's gone after Sakura to stop her from encountering Sasuke."

"That's what I need to speak to Naruto now." Haruhi said.

"But he just calmed down from a panic attack." Yamato said.

"_I said wake him_." Haruhi said with an edge of impatience.

"Haru, please, you're being unreasonable right now." Kurama said, "What if he gets another attack?"

"Naruto," Yamato said, getting everyone's attention as Naruto woke up. "Just relax. You gave us quite a scare."

Naruto sat up, a bit out of sorts as he took a moment to recollect what had happened. Of course, it didn't take long before Naruto remembered and a great urge to run was surfacing from within. His comrades…his friends…they all agreed together without him to get rid of Sasuke. Such a betrayal hurt his feelings and a small part of him died when he found out from Sai. And Sakura…Sakura!

Naruto just remembered that Sakura was planning to take out Sasuke herself! He had to stop her before she would get hurt! Naruto scrambled to get to his feet but hesitated when the room swayed a bit in his vision and the feeling of nausea churned in his stomach.

"Hey, take it easy." Yamato said, placing his hands on Naruto's shoulders and easing the teen back into the futon.

"But…Sakura-chan…she's going to get hurt." Naruto said weakly.

"Kakashi-senpai has gone after her." Yamato said.

"No! I have to get Sasuke! I have to take him back to the village with me and then this war can end!" Naruto said, determined to get up despite Yamato holding him back.

"It doesn't matter whether you take Sasuke back or not, Madara has waged war against the Shinobi Nations. Sasuke means nothing at this point." Haruhi said, stilling Naruto's struggles as he stared across the room at her.

"Wh—what are you saying?" Naruto asked.

"This war is gonna happen regardless, so, to be frank, its time to grow up and think about what's best for everyone."

"You're not making any sense, Haru-nee."

"What I'm saying is that you need to look at the bigger picture and forget Sasuke and focus your energy on what's to come."

"I can't do that." Naruto said, clenching his fists tightly on his lap. "You don't understand."

"I understand enough to know what it's like to sacrifice one thing for another." Haruhi said, "Trust me…it'll be painful, and it'll weigh heavily on your mind and heart for a long time, but eventually you'll be able to suppress the thought of it."

"And what exactly did _you_ have to sacrifice, huh?" Naruto asked, his tone harsher as he glared at Haruhi who looked back with calm eyes.

"About a year ago, I found out that I was pregnant."

The room fell deathly silent. This information was no surprise to either Kurama and Hiei, but to Naruto and Yamato, it was definitely a surprising blow. Haruhi looked down at her lap, letting a few more moments pass before she continued on.

"Sasuke and I had began a secret relationship for a few years and before we could decide on what to do about the baby we were ambushed by Orochimaru." Naruto gaped at Haruhi, this part of the story seeming to be too unreal. "I had been careless and got infected by Orochimaru before I could get away. Sasuke helped me escape to Makai where we laid low for a month with Hokkashin and the monks in Raizen's old territory. There, we learned that because of the disease that Orochimaru had infected me with I couldn't have the baby without giving my own life.

"I wanted to keep it, but I had too many unfinished business. And before I could come to a decision, I had a miscarriage. After I had recovered, I made plans to stay in Makai for awhile longer whereas Sasuke had plans on returning to Orochimaru. All of this, of course, happened after you and your team infiltrated Orochimaru's fortress."

"What…what does this have to do with sacrificing for the greater good?" Naruto asked, almost afraid to know the answer.

"Before Sasuke and I parted ways, we eloped." Haruhi said.

Now even Hiei and Kurama were part of the party of surprise and shock at this bit of news, while poor Yamato's eyes were opened so wide that they were threatening to pop out of their sockets. While Naruto….

"WHAAAAAT?" Naruto exclaimed, suddenly launching across the room to be in Haruhi's face with a look of utter disbelief. "ARE YOU SERIOUS? YOU AND THAT TEME GOT HITCHED?"

"Shaddup! And get outta my face—you're too close!" Haruhi said, slapping her hand in Naruto's face and shoved him away from her. "Geez, let me finish my story, will ya?"

Naruto sat back on his knees and nodded his head.

"Okay, so yeah, we eloped because that's just how stupid we are, but we made a promise to each other to not get involved with one another when it came down to our goals. And we all know what his goals are." Everybody nodded their heads. "But if it was unavoidable and we did cross paths, we'd kill each other regardless of the situation."

"So that's why you didn't stop Sasuke back at the Summit." Kurama said, now understanding.

"Yes. Because I want to avoid killing him." Haruhi said.

"Haru-nee, is that…if you and Sasuke have no other choice during this war, will you really do everything in your power to kill him?" Naruto asked.

Haruhi looked Naruto straight into his eyes, letting him see that it was the last thing she wanted to do. "Yes, Naruto. If I have no other choice, I will."

Naruto sat back on his heels, his hands fisted on his knees. He didn't know what to say, knowing that whatever words would form it will be nothing more than pointless rambling. But…he saw it. He saw it in Haruhi's eyes. The thought of killing Sasuke was something she wanted to avoid.

"Do you…do you love him, Haru-nee?" Naruto asked.

"That's a good question," Haruhi said, crossing her arms as she looked off in thought. "Come to think of it, I haven't given it much thought."

The four all fell over comically at Haruhi's response.

"Then why get married if not for love?" Naruto exclaimed.

"Don't get me wrong, Naruto, Sasuke and I didn't get hitched out of convenience. Nor was it about the spur of the moment." Haruhi said before biting her thumb to draw blood and weaved the summoning technique. Slamming her right palm on the floor next to her, she summoned her Spirit Beast, Puu, in his small plushie form.

"Haru, what are you doing?" Kurama asked.

"I can't exactly walk on our way back home." Haruhi said.

"Haru-nee," Naruto began, but was cut off by Haruhi's raised hand.

"I'll tell you one thing for sure about Sasuke...he's not the same person you knew from before. He's changed…a lot." she said, "But it's not my place to tell you to give up hope."

After discussing the plan to return to Konoha separately, Haruhi and her team left first, leaving Naruto and Yamato behind for the time being. And though nothing else was said about it, it was on the tip of everyone's tongue. Sasuke was still nearby, and Naruto had to stay away from him.

* * *

The fight between Sasuke and Danzo was an awesome spectacle to watch and yet the ending was rather anticlimactic. It was clear to Madara from the start that Sasuke would win, after all, he was Itachi's brother. Staring down at the body of the mangled Danzo, he had every intention of taking the implanted right eye from him.

"Sasuke, I'm going to be taking his eye. You just go back and rest at the base. You've overused your powers, you won't be able to bluff it much longer." said Madara, "The light has almost gone from your eyes, what do you think you can do if you go alone to Konoha now? You have to have patience if you want to achieve your goal." He sucked in Danzo's body into the dimension in his eye before facing Sasuke.

"Sasuke, I have one piece of advice for you, if you don't have any further use for that girl…then kill her." he said, indicating towards Karin who laid in a heap on the ground, barely able to move after receiving a nearly fatal blow from Sasuke when Danzo used her as a shield. "She knows too much about us."

"Us? When did we become allies?" Sasuke asked just as Madara was vanishing into his dimension.

"Heh…fine…until we meet again." was the last Madara said.

Sasuke walked up to where Karin laid who had struggled to turn her head up at him, wanting to see his face one last time. Sasuke was preparing to finish Karin off when suddenly he heard a familiar voice call out his name.

"Sasuke-kun!"

He paused and turned his head slightly in his ex-teammate's direction. "Sakura…what do you want with me?"

_He's…like a different person. Is this really Sasuke?_ Sakura wondered, having sensed the change from when she last encountered him at Orochimaru's hideout. "Sa—Sasuke-kun! I will follow you! I will leave Konoha!"

She jumped forward, closing the distance between them, but still keeping a significant gap.

"Why would you want to join me?" Sasuke asked, "What are you trying to pull?"

"I have no ulterior motives. Ever since you've left the leaf village I have regretted not going with you. I'll do whatever you want. I don't want to have any more regrets."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed a fraction. "Do you know what I want to do?"

"I don't care! I'll follow any order you give me—"

"To crush the Leaf. That is my goal." Sakura had to stop herself from gasping. "Are you really willing to betray the Leaf for me?"

"Yes. If that's what you want me to do."

"Hmph. Then prove it." He pointed down at Karin who laid at his feet. "Kill her and I'll accept your offer."

Sakura swallowed a lump in her throat as she pulled out a kunai from under her cloak. "Who is she?" she asked.

"A member of my organization, Hawk. As you can see, she's useless to me now. Actually, you're a medical ninja, aren't you Sakura? This works out perfectly, you can take her place."

_How heartless…he really isn't the old Sasuke anymore. He's completely changed._ she thought as she stepped forward, closing the distance until she was standing over Karin.

Sasuke could easily sense Sakura's hesitation. "Well? Can't you handle this, Sakura?"

_She doesn't matter…If I…If I…If I can stab Sasuke-kun right now, this will all end._ Sakura thought, struggling with her resolve.

"Sasuke…don't do it…" came a whisper from Karin, bringing Sakura back to the present in time to turn and see Sasuke was about to strike her with his lightning technique. But before he could do away with her and Karin, Kakashi intercepted just in the nick of time.

"You've fallen so low, Sasuke." Kakashi said, seeing the dark intent on his student's face. Sasuke made to kick Kakashi with a roundhouse but the jounin was quick to dodge by jumping high and kicking Sasuke away successfully.

Gaining his footing, Sasuke wiped his chin with the back of his fist and smirked. "They just keep on coming."

"You were trying to kill Sasuke on your own, weren't you Sakura?" Kakashi asked, already knowing the truth. "There's no reason for you to shoulder this burden on your own. As the leader of Team 7, I blame my own personal shortcomings for the team failing. Sakura, it was irresponsible for me to say what I did to make you feel better. Maybe I was just trying to convince myself, I apologize…I've been a terrible sensei to you all. Sasuke, I hate having to repeat myself…but I'll say this one last time. Stop your obsession with revenge!"

There was a pregnant pause between them before it was broken by Sasuke bursting out in bitter laughter. And it left as quickly and suddenly as it came, his black eyes narrowing at Kakashi and Sakura.

"Bring back Itachi. And my mother…and my father…and my clan! **Bring them all back! **_**Then I'll stop!"**_

"I don't want to kill you." Kakashi said.

"Oh, you think you can just take me out whenever you want, huh?" Sasuke said with mock amusement on his face, making him look all the less of the Sasuke they once knew. "Don't act like you're still my teacher, that time's over. I want to kill you so badly I can taste it."

_Madara's corrupted him so much…_ Kakashi thought in sympathy and disgust. "Take this girl and get her stabilized to the point where she can talk. There's still time. She should know a lot about our…enemy."

"And you, Sensei?" Sakura asked, having caught the hesitance in Kakashi's voice when he said the word enemy.

"Sakura, take that girl and get out of here." Kakashi said, as he looked over his shoulder, his eye creased, indicating a smile. "I see this through with the same determination and resolve as you. That's my job, after all. Now get going, Sakura." Turning his attention back on Sasuke, Kakashi removed his cloak and pulled up his hitai-ate, revealing his left eye.

"No matter how far he fell, the third always looked upon Orochimaru with affection. I think I understand what he went through all those years ago."

"Well then, you and the third will have plenty to talk about when you join him." Sasuke said, ready to fight again. "You listen to me…the Sharingan is the symbol of the Uchiha…A lowlife outsider like you has no right to show it off!" he shouted, Susano'o forming around him and instantly firing it's attack at Kakashi.

When the smoke cleared, Kakashi was still standing. Having used the Mangekyou at the last second to send it to a different dimension.

"I can't believe you, a non-Uchiha, was able to awaken the Mangekyou. So that's what saved you, that's your eye's ability." said Sasuke, "I hope you're grateful."

"Sasuke, your hate and your clan…can't be the only things left in your heart. Look deep inside yourself one last time."

"Still reciting the same old pleas." Sasuke smirked.

"You know what's really there."

Sasuke's smirk vanished when the image of his classmates came to mind, all smiling and carefree. "They're all laughing…They're all laughing it up at the cost of Itachi's life! Cackling in unison with no idea of the price he paid!" His rage fueled Susano'o, transforming it further into a beastly behemoth. **"All I hear in your laughter now is scorn and ridicule! But I'll change it! I'll turn your laughter into screams of anguish!"**

Kakashi could sense things were turning for the worst but suddenly Susano'o's form was reverting and quickly vanishing when Sasuke suddenly screamed and covered his eyes with his hands. It was at that moment of vulnerability when Sakura took the opportunity to sneak up behind him with her kunai pointed at his back.

Her heart pounding loudly in her ears. She had to do it. She couldn't let her sensei or anyone else shoulder the burden of killing Sasuke. But because of Sakura's hesitance, Sasuke had sensed her from behind and turned quickly, grabbing her by the throat and taking her kunai from her. The instinct of kill-or-be-kill running full throttle.

Kakashi was too far away to make it in time, and just as Sasuke was about to slit Sakura's throat, Naruto came in at the nick of time, like his sensei, saving Sakura's life. Looking over his shoulder, Naruto's eyes finally met with Sasuke's.

"You've got even better time then me, Naruto." Kakashi said, "I never expected you to come, but I'm sure as glad you did."

"Th-thank you…Naruto." Sakura said, a bit shaken up to have narrowly escaped death a second time in less than ten minutes.

"Sasuke…Sakura-chan is part of Team 7…just like us." Naruto said, standing up to face the Uchiha.

"In case you forgot…I'm ex-Team 7." Sasuke said.

"Is that proof enough, Naruto? Sasuke's not the same person anymore." said Kakashi.

"Sasuke," Naruto said.

"What?" Sasuke replied, growing tired of this reunion.

"Tobi told us the truth about Itachi. I don't know if I believe him or not. And Haru-nee…she told me some things, too, but either way, everything you've done…I understand why you did it!" said Naruto.

"Naruto…I told you once before, you never had parents, you never had siblings…you never had _anyone_…so shut up you outsider!" Sasuke screamed.

"Naruto's had faith in you, Sasuke! No matter how badly the world slandered you, he still considered you a friend! He still does…" Sakura said.

"Just now…just moments ago I finally got revenge on one of Itachi's betrayers…One of the Leaf's top brass…his name was Danzo." Sasuke said, "It was a high unlike anything I've ever felt…Like I was finally cleansing the Uchiha name of the stigma that dogged it for all these years. Like I was freeing the Uchiha from being associated with this corrupt shinobi world. In a sense, it's what the Leaf has always wanted. After rejecting my clan for generations, I'm finally going to wipe it from your memories…

"**By killing every last one of you, until the Leaf is crushed forever! And every link to the Uchiha will be severed and our name will finally be purified! That's how I'll revive my clan!"**

_A history of hatred…_ Kakashi thought bitterly, _That's what turned Sasuke into what he is now. Naruto and Sakura don't fully understand how much Sasuke was a victim of that era, but they'll learn from experience soon enough. That's why…_

"Tell me, Sasuke, was that the reason why you and Haru-nee married in secret?" Naruto asked. Both Kakashi and Sakura were taken aback by what Naruto just said. "Or do you just plan to kill her, too, since she's part of the Leaf as well."

For a split second Sasuke's mouth formed a slight frown before it curved up into a smirk, "So she told you about that, huh? That was nothing more than to pass some time."

Naruto made a shadow clone of himself, preparing to do battle against Sasuke when Kakashi stepped in front of him.

"This is my job. Sakura, get out of here." he said.

"But, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura said, on the verge of protest.

"I don't want you two to see this. Get out of here now. The kind of poison kunai you'd have learned from Shizune won't kill Sasuke. Orochimaru would have made sure that he was immune to it. And besides…you've seen that you can't handle this."

"Kakashi-sensei…are you—are you going to kill Sasuke?" Naruto asked.

"Leave." Kakashi said.

Naruto's clone locked his arms around Kakashi's shoulders, immobilizing him while the real Naruto launched forward at Sasuke who was charging in return with his left hand charged with the chidori.

"You've left him vulnerable! I won't hesitate for a second!" Sasuke said.

Both the chidori and the rasengan were ready to clash.

_It's funny, Sasuke…you and I could've easily been standing in each other's shoes right now._ Naruto thought, their attacks sending each other flying backwards, the force was too strong. Kakashi caught Naruto, breaking his fall while Sasuke was caught by a surprising someone.

"You…when did you…" Sasuke breathed out as he pushed himself up to stand and look at Riin. Her strength was yet to reach a hundred percent but she had recovered enough to aid Sasuke.

"I've been watching your back for quite awhile now, Madara told me to stick around and keep my presence hidden from you. What a pity that you've used up most of your strength fighting Danzo." Riin said, "A true warrior would have left some reserves."

"Now I'm certain." Naruto said, staring across the way at Sasuke.

"Certain of what? What the hell are you talking about?" Kakashi asked.

"Sasuke, you're in no shape to go on. It is time for a retreat." Riin said.

"Wait." Sasuke said.

"Sasuke…do you remember what you told me at the Valley of the End? About top-class ninja?" Naruto asked, "I at least do. I saw it…one clash later. I understand a lot more. We've become top-class ninja's, Sasuke. Both of us. So tell me…did you see what was in my heart? How I really feel? Did you see what was gonna happen if we fight again? We're both gonna die."

Again, silence engulfed everyone for a moment as Naruto's words sunk in.

"Our battle will be inevitable if you really do attack the Leaf. So keep your hatred, let it fester…and hit me with full force. I'm the only one who can bear the full brunt of your hate! It's my job, no one else's! Not Sakura-chan's, nor Kakashi-sensei…not even Haru-nee! I'll bear the burden of your hatred and we'll die together!"

"What? What the fuck is wrong with you? Why do you care about me so much?" Sasuke demanded.

"Because I'm your friend." was Naruto's simple answer. Sasuke was stunned into silence. "Sasuke, we'll never be able to understand each other through words alone, I knew that from the moment I met you. The only way you and I can communicate properly is with our fists! I haven't given up yet! Still…I'm done ranting at you. Hell, I can barely string a sentence together, I shouldn't be lecturing anyone! Heheheh! If we really do take this all the way to the end, and we both die…we won't be Uchiha, Jinchuuriki, or anything. There'll be no more burdens to bear; we'll come to understand one another in the next world. But of course we'll have to brace ourselves since I'm pretty sure Haru-nee knows where to find us and beat the tar out of both of us."

"I will never change. I don't want us to understand one another. And I'm not gonna die…you will!" Sasuke said.

"Enough, Naruto…I'll handle Sasuke. You still have a dream, the dream of becoming Hokage. Sasuke may have fallen, but don't let him drag you down, too." said Kakashi.

"How could I call myself Hokage if I can't even save one friend? The person Sasuke's fighting is me!"

"Hmph! Have it your way. I'll kill you first." Sasuke said.

"Heh! You still haven't accepted me as an equal yet." Naruto said back.

"Enough of this pointless prattle!" Riin said out of irritation, grabbing Sasuke's arm and slowly ascending into the air. "As much as I enjoy a good fight and all, save your enthusiasm for the battle field." At that, Riin took flight with Sasuke as her passenger, skimming through the air like a rocket.

"Is it all right to let them get away like this?" Sakura asked.

"For now let's just head back to the Leaf. We have a lot of preparing to do." said Kakashi.

* * *

**AN: Okay! For those of you who were hoping I'd write out the battle between Sasuke and Danzo in full detail, I'm so sorry to disappoint The battle was waaaaay to complex for me to put it into awesome description. I'd suggest reading that part or watching it. I promise I will do better with future battles, especially the one between Naruto and Sasuke's final showdown. Until then, I'm gonna continue to stay as true to the original story line as much as possible.**


	25. Extra Chapter 1 part 2 of 2

Extra Chapter 1 part 2

"Hey, I got an idea, let's fight each other and see who's stronger!" Haruhi suggested.

"Yeah! That's a great idea!" Naruto agreed, throwing off his pack.

"But—Haruhi-sama!" Hokushin began in a worried tone. "What about your condition? It's important that you rest while recovering."

"Ready, Naruto-kun?" Haruhi asked, ignoring Hokushin's worry.

"Oh, yeah!" Naruto answered, "I won't go easy on you just 'cause you're a girl!"

Haruhi replied back by flickering in and out of sight and then kicking Naruto clear across the court with an aerial kick. Naruto, hitting the ground, turned into a cloud of smoke as two Narutos charged from behind with a razengan between them. Haruhi back-flipped over them, evenly gathering reiki into both hands and hit them both from the back after landing on her feet. Both disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

_Haru's improved through leaps and bounds over half a year._ Jiraiya thought, _It's obvious that her true potential is limitless but her physical body holds her back. The same goes for Naruto. It's rare to have such fighters in the same decade, let alone the same generation. These kids will go far._

Jiraiya felt something bump his leg and saw a small child running towards the fight. "Hey, kid! It's dangerous out there! Come back!" he called.

Naruto was coming down on Haruhi from above with another razengan while Haruhi braced herself by standing her ground when both of their attentions diverted to a child running towards them.

_Crap! I can't stop!_ Naruto thought.

Haruhi quickly thrust her palms up at Naruto, sending a strong wind to push him backwards into the cliff wall before being knocked over by the child. Naruto slowly stood up, slightly drained from the constant use of shadow clones and razengan. He looked over at Haruhi who had a child clinging to her like a koala bear.

"What the heck? Who's that?" Naruto wondered as he walked over to Haruhi.

"Shuura-chan, what're you doing here?" Haruhi asked.

"I came to see mama!" the child named Shuura said, making Naruto and Jiraiya's jaws drop and their eyes bulge out.

Naruto, Jiraiya, Haruhi, and Shuura (who was sitting on Haruhi's lap) were sitting on the floor of the training ground with tea and rice balls in the middle.

"It's not what you think." Haruhi said blandly, "Shuura-chan's not my kid biologically."

"So he's adopted?" Naruto asked.

"No." Haruhi said, "His dad is one of the three demon kings of Makai, but because his dad is so busy it was somehow arranged that I became Shuura-chan's babysitter. So, since then, he's been calling me 'mama'."

"But why?"

"Shuura-chan doesn't have a real mother because he was born in a lab from Yomi's DNA, and I just happened to be there when he was born. On top of that, I just so happened to be the first female he's come in contact to despite the fact that Yomi had chosen a nurse to take care of Shuura-chan. But because that happened he rejects any other female Yomi hires to take care of his son and cries whenever I leave. So I'm the closest thing he's got to a mother-figure."

"Makes sense." said Jiraiya, "Of course; I'd never label you as the mothering type."

"It can't be helped, Shuura-chan's only two-and-a-half, so I guess it's natural he's attached to someone. And it sure ain't his dad." Haruhi said.

"I wonder how Neji would feel about this." Naruto wondered, watching Shuura bite into a rice ball.

"Who cares what that guy thinks." Haruhi said in a stubborn tone.

Naruto blinked at Haruhi. "Are you guys fighting again?" _I'll never understand those two._ he thought, finding other people's relationships to be exhausting.

"You could say that, we've been writing to each other but lately his letters have been kinda whiny and I decided that we should take a break since we're gonna be apart for another few years. Haven't heard back from him since." Haruhi said, brushing it off as if it were nothing.

"You guys are taking a break? Like…from each other?" Naruto asked, "How does that work? Are you seeing someone else? Is it one of those bald guys?"

Haruhi laughed, "Yeah right! It's just too hard being in a long distant relationship. Besides we're both busy with training and all so I think it works out for everyone."

Jiraiya sighed, _Aah, to be young…_


	26. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-four

Haruhi and her teammates returned to the village hours before Naruto and his team did, and immediately Haruhi was back in the medic ward receiving medical attention. Mostly to rest and regain strength since her more serious injuries had healed thanks to Sakura (and mostly thanks to Haruhi's Spirit Wave Technique that healed her broken bones and fractures). Now all that remained of the fight with Riin were bruises and a few scabbed over cuts.

Urahara Kisuke had left long before Haruhi returned and from what Kimiko had informed, as she sat by her sister's side peeling an apple, that Susumu had gotten involved with the war between the shinigamis and Aizen and his Arancars. According to what Urahara had shared, Susumu was doing well and has been helping Ichigo and his friends.

"That's the first I'm hearing about that, so nii-san sided with the shinigamis, huh?" Haruhi said aloud, "Guess I don't have to wonder what he's been up to."

"No, according to ji-chan, nii-chan didn't go to them willingly." said Kimiko, "Ji-chan said that when nii-chan came to him, he was in bad shape. Nii-chan had been attacked by a pair of Arancars on his way to ji-chan's home, he would have died if not for ji-chan's acquaintance, Kurosaki-san."

"Ichigo did? Heh heh! I guess I was right in leaving it up to him." Haruhi said.

"What d'ya mean, Urameshi?" Kuwabara asked, who had been sitting near the foot of Haruhi's futon.

"My going to Karakura-chou wasn't because I was in hiding, it was because Koenma gave me a mission to investigate the abnormal rate of Hollows appearing in that area. On top of that, I had to look for someone to act as a Spirit Detective Representative until Koenma could find a permanent one, since that sector is outside my area." Haruhi said.

"So you mean to tell us that that little shrimp knew you were there the whole time and kept it from all of us? Even Botan?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yeah, but she still managed to find me somehow." Haruhi said, "Besides, I was bored, so I figured I'd kill time by actually doing work. Plus, I had thought that Ichigo was a pretty good candidate, but it turns out that that wasn't the case. But in the mean time I can count on him to take care of the Hollow problem for me."

"That's just a lazy way of sayin' you don't wanna look for anyone else." Kuwabara said dryly.

Haruhi just grinned, "Yeah, you could put it that way."

"I'm gonna go now, kaa-chan and our clan will need help rebuilding the tavern." Kimiko said, standing up. "Try not to worry everyone again, okay, nee-chan?" with that said, Kimiko left the tent.

After a minute, Kuwabara spoke up, "Kurama told me what happened at the Summit, and he also told me about you and…and Sasuke. I don't really need to know the fine details, but as a friend, Urameshi, I'm worried."

"Kuwabara…" Haruhi sighed, knowing where this conversation was going.

"We're friends aren't we? You, me, Kurama, and Hiei."

"Of course we are."

"Then you shouldn't have to be afraid to tell us these things. We aren't gonna look at you any differently. We're like family, and family don't keep secrets from each other."

Haruhi couldn't help but be defeated by the Spirit Sword user as she shook her head and sighed. "You're right…you're right."

"So if you and Sasuke are really married then I guess I have no choice but to support you. But…I won't forgive him if he hurts you. Even a little."

Haruhi couldn't help but laugh, unable to hold back as she finally felt some emotional relief. "Thanks, Kuwabara, that makes me feel a lot better."

* * *

Tenten slammed her fist into the stacked lumber that was going to be used for rebuilding the village as she stood outraged by what Naruto had just told her and their peers.

"What the hell? You're gonna fight Sasuke alone? And you think all of us are gonna just stand here and let you?" she yelled.

"Tenten's right, Naruto. We can't afford to let you have your way with this one." said Neji, "This is a problem for the whole village."

"So this is what you meant when you said you'd _explain when we get back_?" Kiba asked, "We're all prepared to kill Sasuke, man!"

"I'm not trying to be selfish," Naruto said calmly.

"Naruto," Shikamaru intervened, "You're not trying to convince us to let you handle this so you can turn around and protect Sasuke, are you?"

"No, trust me, I won't defend him." Naruto said.

"If Sasuke was so weakened from the Kage Summit and fighting Danzo, why didn't you just finish him right then?" Neji asked.

"Madara was there, too!" Sakura said, coming to Naruto's defense. "You're oversimplifying things! Besides…"

"He couldn't have just slipped away," said Kiba, "Naruto, you're as strong as they come. You're already a legend for kicking the crap out of Pain. Sasuke wouldn't have stood—"

"You're wrong," Naruto interrupted, "I can't defeat Sasuke at his current level…I just knew…" _Even what he was thinking._ Naruto thought, but never said. His thoughts were also on that Riin girl who escaped with Sasuke, she was also a major roadblock for him. Haruhi had trouble fighting her and nearly died, too.

"What do you mean?" Chouji asked.

"I mean that I can't let any of you face Sasuke. I'm the only one who can fight him." Naruto said, now thinking back to what Haruhi had told him…her secret…

"What in the world happened? You have to tell us." Neji said, curious to Naruto's odd and somber behavior.

"I will…when the time is right." was all Naruto had to say to that. Of all the people who would be hurt the most by what Naruto knew it would be Sakura and Neji who would take the news the hardest.

_Naruto…what are you hiding?_ Sakura wondered, though she could guess, she wasn't sure of what was to come in the near future and it frightened her.

Naruto turned away and began to head off from the group. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm starving. I'll be at Ichiraku!" he said in an easy tone, but in truth he was burdened with his resolve to end his friend's madness once and for all.

"What happened to him?" Kiba wondered aloud for the group to hear.

"Sakura, you were there during the confrontation against Sasuke. What happened?" Shikamaru asked, knowing that he could rely on Sakura's accurate memory.

"Well, you see…" Sakura began but was interrupted by a hand suddenly resting on her shoulder. She looked behind her to see Kurama (a.k.a. Shuuichi).

"Forgive my interruption but may I have a word with you for a moment, Sakura-chan?" Kurama asked, "Privately?"

"Whatever you have to say to Sakura I'm sure you can say to the rest of us." said Neji.

"Actually I cannot, this has to do with what happened at the Summit." Kurama said, "So please, Sakura-chan, let us go over there to talk."

"Uh…o-okay." Sakura replied uneasily as she followed Kurama away from the group. Kurama led her out to where all of the lumber was neatly stacked, waiting to be used, and out of hearing and sight range from the rookie nine group.

"What is it that you wanted to talk about, Shuuichi-senpai?" Sakura asked.

"It's about what happened at the Summit and what went down when you confronted Sasuke. Whatever you heard and saw…do not repeat it to anybody else outside of those who are in the know." Kurama said.

"But they have a right to know. Plus they're already asking me about it."

"Yes, but think about who it might effect if people began to talk. There are vital information that can be leaked to the enemy and at this point in time, it's best to stay quiet."

"Senpai, is it true? About Haruhi-san and…and Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked, looking up at Kurama, desperate to know the truth.

Kurama repressed the urge to sigh heavily, thinking that this little secret was becoming harder to handle. "It's best to hear it from Haruhi herself because it is not my privilege to tell."

Sakura bit her bottom lip, having hoped that Kurama would have given her the answer himself without her going to the source of the topic. But she nodded her head, ending that conversation.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan, for understanding." Kurama said before he left Sakura alone as he vanished in a whirl of rose petals.

Though Sakura promised not to say anything, it didn't mean she wasn't going to do anything about it. She was a woman after all, and her heart still belonged to Sasuke. Needing closure with this, Sakura set out to visit Haruhi, finding the tent the young Godaime was resting in.

"Haruhi-san, I'm coming in." Sakura said, entering the tent to find Haruhi and Kuwabara, sitting on the futon together playing cards.

"What's up, Sakura?" Haruhi asked, looking up at the pink-haired kunoichi.

Sakura stood awkwardly by the tent flap, wondering how she should get to the point of what she wanted to know. And thinking that there was no other way, she just blurted it out. "Are you and Sasuke-kun really married?"

"Hah?" Haruhi looked a bit perplexed at Sakura as she and Kuwabara exchanged a look before looking back at Sakura. Haruhi sighed as she slapped down her hand of cards. "Geez, this whole marriage thing is starting to get out of control."

"So then it's not true?" Sakura asked, her heart fluttering in hopes that the news was false.

"Well, no…I mean…it's true that Sasuke and I got married but…um…" Haruhi didn't know how to explain the situation, even though she had explained it once before, the present situation was different. Especially when it came to Sakura because Haruhi knew how she felt about Sasuke.

Sakura on the other hand felt her blood run cold. Her chest tightening with ugly jealousy and denial. It felt that time had frozen right before her eyes. Her mind couldn't accept the fact that another woman had stolen her first love. But she had to put up a brave front and not let it affect her.

"Um…y'know, it's not like Sasuke and I planned this from the beginning it's just…we started to develop feelings for each other over time. From what I've perceived it's a mutual thing between us." Haruhi said.

_It doesn't matter if you think it's mutual or not…_ Sakura thought, her thoughts quickly turning down a dark path. "Y-you..."

"I'm not sorry, though." Haruhi said, looking Sakura straight in the eyes. "Even if he and I kill each other, or if someone else does the job, I still won't have any regrets about it."

"Even so, a selfish part of me can't help but think of you as a petty woman who steals from another! Everyone knows how I felt about Sasuke-kun-_still_ feel-and yet someone like _you-_I can't stand you! You're the type that always gets in the way of people like me who have to work hard for so little! Why couldn't you have just stayed dead?" Sakura slapped her hands over her mouth, shocked at the words that had escaped her control.

"Hey! That's going too far, Sakura-chan!" Kuwabara said, "How can you just say something like that? Sure I can see that you're angry but that's not something you say to a person no matter the situation."

Looking at Haruhi, Sakura saw the young Godaime merely close her eyes and sigh as her shoulders sagged in exhaustion. "I could care less of what you think of me." Haruhi said, looking at Sakura. "And whether you like it or not, the reality won't change. Sasuke and I are together whether you like it or not. Now get out, I can only take so much of you at a time."

Sakura could feel herself beginning to tremble, having a hard time keeping her emotions bottled up. She was finding herself to feel enraged just by looking at Haruhi and so to stop herself from doing something irrational, she excused herself and quickly left. Outside she took in a deep breath of air and decided she needed to go for a walk to clear her mind.

A shinobi ran past Sakura and entered Haruhi's tent announcing that Tsunade had awoken from her coma. Sakura paused for a second, knowing she needed time to compose herself before she went to see her mentor.

* * *

Tsunade sat in her tent, eating away dish after dish after dish until they began to pile up on the table. It was like a marathon of stuffing one's face and it was a miracle that Tsunade hadn't choked yet.

"Please, slow down!" Shizune said, worried as she held TonTon.

"Keep it coming!" Tsunade said through her chewing. "My chakra still hasn't recovered! I need more food or my technique will wear off and I'll be an old hag again!"

"There isn't a single crumb left in the Hokage's office. We'll have more soon, but in the meantime, take a break." Shizune said.

Tsunade eyed TonTon with a greedy eye and Shizune instantly retaliated as she hugged the pig tighter to her.

"N-NO! Get a hold of yourself! You cannot eat him!" Shizune said in alarm.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Tsunade asked.

"I'm glad to see you've recovered," said Kakashi as he entered the tent. "I was about one second away from becoming the seventh Hokage. And honestly, I don't think I'm suited for the position. In situations like this, your presence will be a lot more effective than mine."

"I'm surprised about the joint forces, can't believe the Raikage and Tsuchikage agreed to cooperate." said Tsunade.

"It's just another indicator of how serious this is." said Kakashi.

"So Uchiha Madara really is alive." Tsunade tsked.

"I don't have any solid proof, but considering his plan, I doubt it could be anyone else." said Kakashi.

"Another war…the Uchiha's fate now torments us all." Tsunade said as she wiped her chin with the back of her hand. "Call a planning session as soon as I'm finished. We have to prepare for war!"

* * *

"For real? Tsunade-baa's all better?" Naruto exclaimed in excitement after hearing the news from Sakura who ran all the way to Ichiraku to tell him the news.

"Yup!" Sakura grinned, though she was hiding the fact that she was still hurting from knowing about Sasuke and Haruhi.

"All right!" Naruto cheered.

"Tsunade-sama's okay, that's wonderful news!" said the Ichiraku owner. "All right! To celebrate, everyone eats on the house!"

"Whoa! Really?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"I'll whip something up for you, too, Sakura-chan! Grab a seat!" offered the owner.

"That's okay, I've still got a lot of people to tell!" Sakura said before heading out to spread the good news.

"Well, now that I'm in a better mood I'm a lot hungrier! I'm gonna eat like a horse today!" Naruto said happily.

* * *

After hearing that Tsunade wanted to assemble an urgent meeting after she fully recovered her chakra, Haruhi was more than ready to get things rolling. Especially when Haruhi spent the time Tsunade used to replenish herself, Haruhi had been busy studying maps of the Cloud country. She needed to pinpoint the distance from the Cloud border to the center of the mountains that were famously named the Floating Mountains. She needed to find Korin's Tower, like her father told her to.

And as Haruhi took her appointed seat beside Tsunade at the planning session, she forced herself to focus on the task at hand.

"I call this war planning session to order!" Tsunade announced.

"Start gathering rations and weapons immediately." ordered Koharu, "20% each to the battle squads and support squads. We must decide on the platoon breakdowns as soon as possible. Bring us a list of every battle-ready ninja."

"War…it's really happening, huh." Shikamaru said, looking over at his father who sat beside him.

"I still say you're too young, even if they _did_ call you here. Pay attention." said Shukaku.

"Yeah, I know." Shikamaru said, "I'll use every brain cell I have to memorize all of this."

Haruhi couldn't do it, her mind was too focused on finding Korin's Tower that she couldn't concentrate on the planning session. This wasn't where she wanted to be. And as the planning session continued, Haruhi grew more and more impatient for it all to end so that she could get going.

"Haru, are you all right? You seem a bit distracted." Tsunade said, having noticed that Haruhi had been drumming her fingers on her knees and fidgeting in her seat.

"It's nothing." Haruhi whispered back.

"Clearly it's something, what is it?"

"I…my father…while I was in my coma he told me to find Korin's Tower, he said I'll be able to get stronger when I find it."

"NANI? Are you kidding me with this bullshit?" Tsunade yelled, slamming Haruhi's head into the small floor desk, breaking it in two. The outburst surprised everyone as the meeting was put on a sudden hold.

"Tsunade-sama, what is the meaning of this?" Homura asked, clearly startled by what had suddenly happened.

"Tsunade-sama! Haruhi-sama is still recovering from her injuries!" said a startled Shukaku.

"At a time like this you've been thinking about finding some mythical tower while we're sitting here planning for war! Quit bullshitting around you brat!" Tsunade yelled, holding up Haruhi by the scruff of her shirt.

"Give me a break, hag! Are you really surprised that I'd be thinking about something else other than this meeting?" Haruhi asked, holding up her own against the Slug Princess. "It's obviously pointless for me to be here when you're friggin' conscious again!"

"And how will finding a stupid tower help us win this war?"

"I don't know! But I have to find it before time runs out!"

"Time has already ran out, Haru!"

Everyone simply looked on with sweat-drops on their heads, debating whether to intervene or wait it out.

Shikamaru sighed, finding it all to be so troublesome.

"Stupid hag, at least hear me out!" Haruhi said, now in a headlock under Tsunade's arm.

"I don't need to hear what you've got to say, 'cause I already know what'll come out of that sassy mouth of yours!" Tsunade said.

* * *

And so, three days had come and gone and the kages all gathered together once again to discuss how they will arrange their joint armies.

"You're all early…" noted the Raikage.

"The situation demands haste, after all." Gaara responded.

"But Tsunade-hime, have you recovered?" asked the Tsuchikage, "You could have left the matter to Haru-dono, you're no spring chicken, y'know."

"Enough of your double standards, I don't want to hear it from _you_ old man." said Tsunade, "The Godaime has decided to go chase a myth at the last minute."

Shukaku, who stood behind Tsunade's seat at the meeting, much like the other guards of the kages, could only suppress a sigh. It wasn't easy for anyone to accept Haruhi's crazy idea of finding the mythical tower that was said to give anyone who climbed it the strength of a god. But knowing Haruhi, Shukaku would bet a lot of money that the young Godaime had a secret agenda behind her pointless search.

"Setting the matter aside, I find it reassuring that Tsunade-sama has returned to her seat as Hokage." said Mizukage.

"Let us leave the greetings there," said Mifune, ready to move on. "And begin the meeting forthwith. First of all, we need to address the matter of the Kyuubi and Hachibi jinchuurikis. And also any information regarding the enemy's headquarters, battle strength, et cetera."

"Our people are investigating a location which appears to be the enemy base." began Tsunade, "It might just be a trap…so we've no choice but to gather more intel."

"We've also assembled a recon team, and they're currently gathering intelligence as well. We need to quickly compare the intel gathered by each of the villages." said the Raikage.

"That being the case, we should unify our intelligence-gathering corps into a separate organization." said Mizukage.

"That's all fine," said Tsuchikage, "And…where will we hide the jinchuurikis?"

"Hide?" Tsunade asked in surprise.

"What?" exclaimed the Raikage, just as surprised.

"Naruto and Bee are major assets to our combat strength!" Tsunade said, outraged by the very notion of hiding their best chance of winning. "How can we just hide them away?"

"That's what I thought as well, but those two are the enemy's target in this war." said Tsuchikage, "Considering the possibilities, we can't send them to the front, we agreed upon that in the last meeting."

"The enemy is Uchiha Madara!" Tsunade exclaimed, "If we lose our shot at victory because we're unwilling to use our strength, we won't get a second chance! We need to strike hard with our full—"

"This is a war to protect those two." said Gaara, "Hokage, you cannot make unilateral demands. We'll decide this by majority rules."

"You little punk! Naruto is—"

"If it's Naruto you want to talk about, I know him very well…he'll do totally absurd things for the sake of his comrades. That's precisely the problem."

"Before we even consider military strengths, disunity among the five kages will preclude victory." said Mifune.

"I also agree with them, Tsunade-sama." said Shukaku.

"Tsk! Enough…" Tsunade said, knowing when she was beat.

"Looks like the impudent Slug Princess is in good health after all, that was some energetic testimony." teased the Tsuchikage.

"Let's decide where to hide the Kyuubi and Hachibi," said Raikage, "No objections, right Hokage?"

"Alright, let's move on already." Tsunade said.

"Hmph! The location of the refuge has been decided…it's a place I've kept in reserve. It's only appropriate that it be kept in Kumogakure, which hasn't given rise to any Akatsuki member. It's an isolated island where Bee and I used to train intensely together."

_Haru…you better come back successful, or else._ Tsunade thought as the plans were being prepared to be put into motion.

* * *

**AN: So this chapter was easy to right because there weren't any action scenes or epic battles. I hope you readers enjoyed this chapter as the story builds up to the ninja war. I originally wanted to include the Arancar arc from Bleach but when I had started trying it out I decided that it was just too much to handle and to fit within each other. Plus I couldn't decide what to do with it so I've decided to let that idea go. But I am working on the Extra Chapters, so those will cover the Arancar War starring Haruhi's older brother Urameshi Susumu! **

**Please Review!  
**


	27. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-five

"Holy crap…it exists…and it's endless." Haruhi said, craning her neck back to look straight up. "I can't see the top, it just…keeps going…"

"Puuuuu!" Puu chirped, turning his long neck around to look at Haruhi, who smiled and scratched under his beak.

"Sorry, Puu, but from here on out I'll be going solo."

"Puu?"

"Don't worry about me, boy, I'll be fine. The worst thing that can happen is for me to fall off."

"Puuuu Puu."

Haruhi hopped down from Puu's back and walked up to the base of the tower that seemed to go on for infinity. Puu reverted back to his small plushie form and flew to Haruhi where he perched himself comfortably on her head. Haruhi zipped up her jacket and checked the strap of her pack, making sure it was sturdy and secure over her shoulder.

"Ready, buddy?"

"Puu!"

"Alright, let's get started!" Haruhi jumped up as high as she could go, just only lightly bouncing off the tower with a push of chakra and continued her upward climb. It wasn't until sundown when Haruhi began to climb the tower the old fashion way to save on chakra.

Sweat had soaked through her clothes, the moisture on her palms made gripping the side of the tower difficult, forcing her to use chakra to add an extra suction to keep her from falling. Puu would frequently wipe Haruhi's forehead with his long floppy ears and even would occasionally fly alongside her until he grew too tired to keep afloat.

Before Haruhi knew it, night time came and the air had gotten colder, making her joints stiff and her fingers raw and numb. Her fingers were sore and the pads were raw and just moments away from breaking open and leaving bloody prints along the tower side. In fact, that pretty much already happened since every time she lost her grip a nail would break off, leaving the tips of her finger exposed and worn. Haruhi missed her footing again and slipped several feet down the tower. Puu screeched in alarm, flapping his ears. Finding her footing, Haruhi stopped her descent and took a breath of relief and a short break as she looked up to see how much further she had left to climb.

"Damn…no matter how much I climb I still can't see the top." Haruhi said, lowering her head and pressing her damp forehead against the cool stone. Her stomach growled loudly and it made her abdominal muscles clench tightly. "Oh man…I'm hungry."

After another minute of rest, Haruhi began to climb again, making up the distance she lost from her short slip, and then some more to reach the top. She had to will herself to keep climbing through the night, through her hunger and fatigue and cold. Haruhi didn't have to worry about Puu falling as he was resting snugly in the hood of her jacket.

Gradually, the next morning came…

Haruhi cursed under her breath, having nearly lost her footing again. She stopped once more, though the short rest wasn't much help for her tired muscles. And she wished for nothing more than a soft bed to rest in, but so far she did not have that luxury.

"How much further…?" she looked up to see how much more and she had to rub her eyes, thinking they were playing tricks on her as she thought she saw the end of her journey. Not wanting to get her hopes up too much, Haruhi began to climb a little faster until… "It's the top! I made it! Puu, look!"

"Puu…uu?" Puu peeked his head over Haruhi's, blinking his tired round eyes before they widened and he began to fly around Haruhi's head with excitement. "Puu! Puu pu!"

"Just a little more…just a little…more!" Haruhi said as she inched closer to the top. She reached up to one of the holes large enough for a grown man to slip through and floundered her way up through it. "I did it!"

Finally reaching the end, Haruhi climbed out of the other end of the hole and rolled onto the floor, breathing heavily and letting her body finally relax. Closing her eyes, Haruhi was unaware that she had drifted off to sleep on the stone floor. It wasn't until she felt something cool and wet hit her face did she wake up to see Puu standing in front of her face.

"Did I fall asleep?" Haruhi asked groggily as she pushed herself up, yawning and stretching her arms over her head. "What a great nap that was."

"Puu."

Haruhi rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times before looking around, giving her brain a moment to realize that she was inside a store room with many covered pots and baskets and crates.

"Did you have a good nap? Come out to the top." came a voice.

Haruhi turned in the direction that the voice came from, seeing a doorway that led out to a stairwell that went up the side of the lookout towards the top. With Puu sitting on her head, Haruhi stiffly walked out to the stairs and began to climb up. Ugh! More climbing! She looked over the railing of the stairs just to see how high up she was.

"Whoa! Insane…I can't even see the ground." Haruhi said, seeing that only clouds were in view. After sight seeing, she continued back up the stairs and when she reached the top, she was a bit confused. No one was there. Was it her imagination? Was she that exhausted?

"Good job making it all the way up here." Haruhi looked around and spotted a white cat standing on its hind legs and holding onto a wooden staff with one of its paws. "And you did it at an amazing speed, despite being so frail-looking."

Haruhi blinked, but oddly enough she wasn't so surprised to meet a talking cat. Meeting Yoruichi kind of took away the shock factor out of it.

"Um…is the Sennin of this tower here?" Haruhi asked.

"That's me." said the cat.

"Y-you?" Haruhi exclaimed, the shock factor back in place. She crouched down in front of the cat, though she was still half a foot taller than the cat. "Geez, and here I thought you'd be some old hermit like Genkai-baa."

"Got any complaints?" teased the cat, "Well, technically, I'm the Senneko-sama. You may call me Master Korin. Ho ho ho. So let me guess, you came up here to drink the Supreme Holy Water, right?"

"Listen, I didn't come here to drink some tap water, my father Goku sent me here. He said that you will help me get to Kami's Lookout."

"Goku? You're father is _the_ Goku?"

"Did I stutter?"

"Well, I have to wonder why Goku would send his kid up here in the first place? You're plenty strong as is, so what's the point in getting stronger?"

"Um, you see…"

"Ah, you don't have to speak, just stand quietly for a moment." said Korin as he stared up at Haruhi before he nodded his head. "I see, you're intentions are pure, you wish to save your friends the heartache of war by taking the weight on your shoulders. You're a martyr like your dad."

"Wow, so you can read minds, huh? Nice trick." Haruhi said.

"It's not a trick, I just read what was in your heart." said Korin, "Well, anyways, what's important is that you didn't come here for impure reasons. You truly are like your dad."

Haruhi's stomach then decided at that moment to growl loudly, announcing that it demanded food. Even Puu's tiny stomach made a squelching growl and Korin couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"You're definitely Goku's brat!" Korin laughed before flicking two beans at Haruhi, who caught them and stared at them in her palm.

"What're these? Beans?" Haruhi asked as she looked at Korin.

"It's a senzu bean, it's a very helpful bean that, if eaten, will keep you from going hungry for ten days." Korin explained.

"Really? Kinda sounds like a soldier pill but only better." Haruhi said, giving one bean to Puu and then ate the other. After swallowing, Haruhi instantly felt full and even felt like her body was completely healed of sore muscles and her chakra replenished. "Hey! These beans are amazing!"

"Well, now that you've been fed, I suppose it's time for you to be on your way to Kami's."

"Oh yeah, how do I get there?" Haruhi asked, standing up straight.

"You can fly, right?"

"No. Is that the only way to get to Kami's?"

"It's the easiest way, yeah, or at least it was the easiest way for your dad once he learned how to."

"My tou-san knew how to fly?"

"Of course he did and you can, too, once you've got the basics down. But of course, when your dad came to me as a child, he had to use a different way to get to Kami's."

"Right, so how do I get there?"

Korin merely chortled as he walked off to the stairs where Haruhi came from and began to descend the stone steps. Haruhi followed after the cat, back into the storage room where Korin began to busy himself looking around, moving boxes and pots.

"What are you looking for?" Haruhi asked.

"Now where did I last see it?" Korin mumbled, rummaging through decades of junk before emerging out of the foliage with a red pole as long as a yard stick. "Found it!"

"Great…a stick. Am I expected to bash my way to Kami's?"

"Sort of," Korin said with a mischievous grin as he once more took the lead. "Follow me and you'll understand."

With a sigh, Haruhi followed the Tower's guardian back up the flight of stairs and then went further, climbing up one of the columns to the roof, all the way to the very top and center of the tower where the tip was a flat pedestal with a hole where Korin fit the pole into it.

"Hey, I never asked but…where is Kami's Lookout?" Haruhi asked. Korin pointed up, and Haruhi followed her gaze in that direction but only saw sky. "I don't see anything, you sure he's up there?"

"Yup. And this staff will take you there." Korin said.

"Really?" Haruhi asked, looking back down at Korin, "But it's no longer than a yard."

"This is the Nyoibo, it has the ability to extend all the way around the world and is stronger than any weapon and can pierce through any armor. But its true purpose is to connect this tower to the Lookout."

"Wow, that's pretty impressive. So then, all I've gotta do is hold onto to this thing all the way to the top?" Haruhi asked, hopping up onto the pedestal and taking hold of the pole.

"Well, yeah, for the most part. And also," Korin held out a bell to Haruhi who took it with a curious expression on her face. "Take this bell, it's the symbol of the selected person."

"Okay," Haruhi said, stashing the bell in an inside pocket of her jacket.

"Also, you'll have to leave behind your Spirit Beast."

"Huh? How come?"

"You'll be tested along the way up to the Lookout, and I doubt that your little Spirit Beast will be able to handle it physically. But don't worry, you won't die. I'm sure everything will be alright."

"Hmm, okay. Sorry, Puu, but you'll just have to wait here for me, okay?"

"Puu."

"You ready, Haru-chan?"

"Yeah, so how do I make it extend?" Haruhi asked, gripping the pole tightly with her hands.

"Just say, Nyoibo, extend."

"Oh, alright. Nyoibo, extend!" Instantly, Haruhi was tugged upwards as the pole extended straight up into the air. "Damn! It must be further than the tower!"

As Korin and Puu watched Haruhi disappear out of their sight on the Nyoibo another person approached them on the roof.

"It's about time you showed up," Korin said, turning around to face Urameshi Susumu, dressed in a black gi of a stealthy ninja and carrying a beautiful, black katana on his hip. Puu chirped and flew to Susumu, landing on his shoulder and snuggling against the young man's cheek.

"Forgive me, Korin-sama, but I was delayed by an unavoidable event." Susumu said.

"Understandable, the shinigamis would have needed all the allies they could get. Considering who their enemy was…and still is." said Korin as he began to head back down to the main level of the Tower. "Come, my boy, I'll brew us some tea."

Susumu looked up towards the sky, following the line of the Nyoibo to the point where his sight couldn't see it anymore. He had arrived just seconds after his sister began to ascend upwards to wherever that pole was taking her to, missing an opportunity to be reunited with a family member. But it could wait, there were other things that took priority.

_Be safe, Haru._ he thought as he followed Korin.

* * *

After an hour, Haruhi was finally able to see the Lookout, and in just a few short minutes after spotting it, the Nyoibo connected to the base of the Lookout. Seeing a ladder, Haruhi reached for it and began to move across the bars, curving around the base towards the top. Once Haruhi reached the platform, she was surprised to see that the Lookout was nothing more than a giant courtyard with a modest garden and at the far end was a mansion of marble.

"Wow, it's so spacious here." Haruhi said, before she spotted a stout, black person in paaj and a vest. His round, almost seemingly blank eyes were staring straight at her. "Uh, hey."

"Hey." it replied.

"Are you Kami?" Haruhi asked, walking up to the black man.

"No, I am Mr. Popo. Kami-sama is inside." said Mr. Popo, "And I must say, it is an honor to meet another child of Goku."

"Another…child? Gah! Do you mean that nii-san's been up here already?"

"Correct! So do you have the symbol to be here?"

"You mean this bell?" Haruhi asked, retrieving the bell from inside her jacket and held it out to Mr. Popo.

"Yes, that's it. It has been awhile since anyone else has been up here."

"Really? So I guess you guys don't get many visitors."

"Correct, again."

"Then may I please see Kami? I was told that once I meet him everything will be explained to me!"

"_I will meet with you…Spirit Detective."_ came a voice. Haruhi looked around to find who spoke and saw a tall, green bald man walk out from the mansion. _"Come closer."_

Mr. Popo pushed Haruhi forward and Haruhi walked the rest of the way across the courtyard. The air was much thinner and cooler, making it hard to breathe and already she was lightly panting, out of breath from just the distance she had crossed.

"Are you…Kami?" Haruhi asked, surprised to see that the green man was rather youthful looking to what she had expected.

"No, I'm afraid not. I am Kami's successor, Dende." he said, "But I will gladly help answer what you seek. Please, come inside."

Haruhi followed Dende inside, where it was much larger than Haruhi had perceived as they began to walk down a corridor. It was all so mind blowing to Haruhi, all of this was nothing as she had expected, it was almost the opposite.

"So, uh, how did you become the guardian?" Haruhi asked.

"Oh, well Piccolo and Kami-sama had both merged back together to become one during a crisis years ago. And your father Goku traveled to my world and brought me here to take Kami's place, because the Earth needed a guardian. I was more than happy to take the job." said Dende.

"Who's Piccolo?" Haruhi asked.

"He's a friend of your father's."

"Really? Is he also green?" Haruhi asked before she could stop herself and covered her mouth with her hands. Dende only laughed lightly.

"Yes, he's green, too. He and I are Namekians from the planet Namek."

"You're aliens?"

"Ha ha ha! Your reactions are much better than your brother's, Susumu. He merely acted like it didn't surprise him when we first met as children."

"Wait, you guys knew each other that long?"

"Well, yes, he was there with your father when my world was under siege by a tyrant named Frieza. They saved my people from genocide. I am forever in their debt."

"Wow, I had no idea that nii-san fought alongside tou-san. I guess it shows how much attention I paid to my family."

"Don't feel too bad, you were still very young at the time. I remember your father bringing you and Susumu up here on occasion, of course you were still a baby. Those were some peaceful times then."

Haruhi felt a bit guilty for not remembering anything of the sort, but then again, Haruhi had a hard time remembering large portions of her childhood before entering the Academy.

"Here we are," Dende said, stopping outside a double door. "Unfortunately this is as far as I will go. The rest you will have to take on your own."

Haruhi stepped up to the doors and pushed them open, entering into what looked like a simply furnished house. The doors closed behind her as she walked forward towards the front of the house and was shocked to see that the rest of the space was nothing but white and empty. Instantly Haruhi felt the gravity was much heavier than what she was used to, and the air was hotter.

"Great! You're finally here, Haru!"

Haruhi looked up ahead and her brown eyes widened at what she saw. "T-tou…san?"

Goku stood a few yards out into the empty space with another green man who resembled an older version of Dende. But all Haruhi could focus on was her father, whom she thought was dead.

"Tou-san!" Haruhi said, running out to her father and hugging his waist. He was solid and real, not a specter from a dream. "You're real this time."

"Yeah, I'm real, Haru." Goku said, hugging his daughter back.

Haruhi pulled back, wiping her eyes with the heel of her palms. "Tou-san, how are you here? I thought you were dead."

"Oh, but I am dead, see?" Goku said, pointing up at the halo over his head. "I was granted a special privilege to be on earth for one whole day."

"Goku, enough with the family reunion, we're wasting time." said the green man.

"Right, sorry Piccolo." Goku said, "Haru, are you ready to learn what I have to teach?"

"Yeah, I'm ready."

"Good, now let's get started!" Goku said and then his stomach growled. "After we eat."

Both Haruhi and Piccolo fell over comically.

* * *

**AN: So this wasn't one of my better chapters but it at least is moving the story along. Please review**


	28. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-six

"Hoo-boy! This is delicious! Thanks, Mr. Popo! I forgot how good your cooking was!" said Goku while stuffing his face. The table in front of him was piled with empty dishes that made Haruhi wonder how one person could eat so much without getting sick. But then again…she and Susumu could possibly eat the same amount after a day of training.

"Even after all these years I'm still not used to seeing you eat." said Piccolo.

"So tell me about your mother and brother, how have they been? And the village, too!" Goku said between bites.

Haruhi glanced over at Piccolo and at Mr. Popo and Dende, still not sure what to make of this situation. "Well…the village was recently attacked by this organization called Akatsuki but thankfully Naruto was there to defeat Pain. The village is being rebuilt right now with the help from a few neighboring villages."

"It's good to know that there are dependable ninjas in the village. So what about your kaa-chan and nii-chan?" Goku asked.

"Um, I haven't seen nii-san since leaving the village three years ago, but kaa-san and Kimiko-chan are doing pretty well."

"Huh?" Goku blinked at Haruhi, "Kimiko-chan? Who's that?"

"Oh, right. You never met Kimiko, you died before kaa-san even knew she was pregnant with her."

"I…have a third kid? That's such great news! I'd like to meet her the next time I'm allowed to visit Ningenkai."

"Wait," Haruhi said, reaching into her weapons pack that was strapped to her hip and pulled out a family photo of her, Kimiko, and Susumu. "It's old but…here, the little one is Kimiko."

"Oh wow!" Goku said, finally setting down the plate and spoon and took the photo from Haruhi. "She looks just like Atsuko. Wow, what a cute little girl. And Susumu, my gosh! He's become such a handsome fellow."

"If you say so." Haruhi said dryly, feeling almost sorry for her father about not knowing how his children actually are behind their harmless faces.

"Speaking of which, he's late, isn't he?" Goku said, looking at Dende who nodded his head.

"Who's late?" Haruhi asked.

"You're right, Master Korin must be keeping him for some reason." said Piccolo.

"Who are you talking about?" Haruhi asked.

"Ah! Speak of the devil! Let's go out and meet him!" Goku said, standing up from the table and leading the way out to the courtyard. Haruhi quickly followed with Dende and Piccolo. Mr. Popo stayed behind in the kitchen to clean up.

As the four of them made their way out to the courtyard, Haruhi fumbled a bit when she saw her brother, Susumu, walking up to the building. And if she wasn't mistaken, he was carrying a zanpakutou on his hip.

"Nii-san, what're you doing here?" Haruhi asked.

"Is that any way to greet your big brother after three years?" Susumu asked, his tone still dry and monotone.

"Susumu, it's good to see you again!" Dende said, walking forward to meet Susumu and they both clasped each other's forearms in greeting.

"You look well, Dende." said Susumu, as he turned and faced both Piccolo and Goku.

"It's good to see you again, kid." said Piccolo.

"Whoa, is that really you, Susumu? You've gotten so much taller!" Goku exclaimed excitedly as he stepped forward and placed both his hands on his son's shoulders. "Last time I saw you, you barely looked over my belt!"

"Tou-san, it's a great relief to see you again. But…" Susumu's eyes strayed up to the halo over Goku's head. "It's still disappointing to know that you only have today to be with us."

"Yeah, but there's nothing I can really do." Goku said with a shrug of his shoulders, "So let's head into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber and stretch this day into a year."

Susumu nodded and then looked over at Haruhi. "You prepared for a year of training, Haru?"

"A year? But we don't have time to train for a year, nii-san! Uchiha Madara has proclaimed war against the five nations!" Haruhi said, "The five villages have already begun to assemble!"

"Relax, Haru, we know that." said Goku, "I'm talking about training in a separate time-space!"

"Huh?" Haruhi blinked, "What…do you mean?"

* * *

(Reikai: Seireitei)

Koenma walked down the wooden paths of the main buildings, chewing the nub of his pacifier in a nervous manner while low-ranked shinigamis would stop and bow to him as he passed by. He had heard the war between the shinigamis and Aizen had come to an end thanks to the timely manner of Urahara Kisuke's time seal on the Hyougoku. But the victory came at a high cost, many shinigamis had lost their lives, and the strength of the Gotei 13 has weakened as the order of power must be rebuilt.

He had just returned after sitting through the trial against Aizen Sousuke, and he felt that for his crimes, Aizen should be sentenced to an eternity of imprisonment. Of course that was not his call alone, it must be agreed by the entire council, and since he was not yet king, his authority could only go so far. Now, he was going to meet with the remaining captains of the Gotei 13, and from what he heard, only a handful were left standing while the rest were recovering from their injuries.

To top off everything, he just received news from Botan that the five shinobi nations were going to war against Uchiha Madara, and that his Spirit Detective has vanished from the radar again. It was all just one big headache and a lot of paper work for the Prince of Reikai to take in one day.

"Announce my arrival," Koenma said to the two guards standing outside the doors to the war room.

"His Royal Highness, Koenma-sama has arrived!" announced one of the guards before he and the other guard pushed open the doors to allow Koenma entry.

Stepping into the dimly lit room with his own two bodyguards, Koenma took quick note of who was present. Only the captains of the First, Fourth, Sixth, Eighth, Tenth, and Eleventh squads were present. From his understanding, the captain of the Twelfth squad was on a research mission in Hueco Mundo, while the rest were recuperating from their battle injuries.

The captains present all bowed in unison when Koenma entered the hall, showing their respects to the royal family of Reikai. Of course, Koenma had his doubts that any of them truly respected him for he had yet to show his qualities as a ruler, not to mention most only perceived him as a privileged brat, simply riding along on his father's tailcoat.

"On behalf of my father and Reikai, I congratulate you all on your victory against Aizen and the Arancars." Koenma said, "Your sacrifices will not be forgotten."

"We thank you, Koenma-sama, for your father's kind words, but what is it that you have come to say to us that would bring you here _personally_?" asked Yamamoto-Genryuusai.

"I have very little to say, for there are no words to interpret my gratitude of keeping both Reikai and Ningenkai safe from Aizen's madness. Once again you have all answered the call when crisis arose, showing us of the Royal Family your true worth. My true intentions of coming here was to not give my thanks but to seek forgiveness from the Gotei 13. For you see, I had given very little thought to the shinigamis of Seireitei, thinking that the Special Defense Force of Reikai were enough to keep the worlds safe and separate, but I am very glad to have been wrong. And so I ask you all to forgive such a foolish prince like me."

Silence loomed over everyone in the hall. Never before had the shinigamis been asked for forgiveness by a member of the Royal Family. It was a humbling moment, indeed, for them all.

"There is nothing to forgive, Koenma-sama." said Yamamoto, "It is our honor to fight in your name."

"Your name" was what Koenma had heard, and he was more than surprised to discover that the captains were all in agreement of their General. They were all behind him…_him_ and not his father, the king. It truly was indeed a moment of humbleness.

"I wish you all good health as I leave everything in your hands. But should you ever need anything, please, feel free to ask and I shall do my absolute best to accommodate to your requests." Koenma said.

"I've heard that a war has been brewing down in Ningenkai while we were fighting Aizen and his Arancars." said Shunsui, "Your little Spirit Detective must have her hands full."

"No, according to my sources she has disappeared once again. But I doubt she'd be gone for too long, that girl just can't stay away from a fight." Koenma said.

"Must be difficult to work with someone who acts on impulse most of the time." said Hitsugaya, making Koenma sweat-drop as the prodigal captain hit the nail on the head.

"I actually have one request to ask of you, Koenma-sama." Yamamoto began, getting the young future ruler's attention. "I request permission to take Urameshi Susumu into the Gotei 13. He has proven to be quite a talent that I have not seen in quite awhile."

Koenma merely smiled as if enjoying a private joke. But then again…he has learned quite a bit about the temperament of the typical Urameshi and so… "Unfortunately, that is one request I cannot comply with for it is not my decision but Susumu-san's alone. But I'm certain that he will abide with your request if you ask him yourself."

* * *

(Separate Time Space)

"How strange, it's so huge…" Susumu said after entering the Hyperbolic Time Chamber with Haruhi, Goku, and Piccolo. He was looking out at the vast empty space in awe. "How can this be all inside a room? There's no end."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking, too." Haruhi said, putting her hands on her hips as she came to stand next to her brother.

"It's supposed to be as big as Earth itself," said Goku, coming up behind his two children and putting a hand on each of their shoulders. "Be careful, if you wander too far, you'll get lost and die out there. It's rough here. Temperatures go from -40 to 120 degrees. It's a blank world with only a quarter as much air and ten times the gravity of Earth."

Haruhi swallowed a lump in her throat. "And…we have to stay here for a whole year?"

"Let's start training right away, we're not here to fool around." Goku said, walking out to the empty space ahead of his two children. "First, we're going to turn you two into Super Saiyans."

"Us…is that even possible?" Haruhi asked.

"Sure you can. You have Saiyan blood in you too. You'll have to be one before the real training starts." Goku explained, "I know you guys are strong, but you'll have to become stronger if you want to defeat Madara and his army."

"Tou-san, what is a Super Saiyan?" Susumu asked, having only heard all of this for the first time.

"Huh? Oh right! I've only told Haru about it!" Goku said, "Watch carefully, alright? I'm gonna show you." Taking a firm stance with his feet apart at shoulders width, Goku began to channel his energy and power up.

Haruhi and Susumu both took an unconscious step back when the level of power was literally pushing them. They watched as their father's energy became visible and changed into a gold aura and seconds afterward his hair rose up and turned blonde and his eyes turned green.

Goku looked at his children and smiled, "This is a Super Saiyan, and I'm gonna teach you guys how to achieve this form."

"That's…a Super Saiyan?" Susumu asked.

"Yup!" Goku said cheerfully as he reverted back to his normal state. "It's easy once you've got the basics of it."

"But then, me being here is pointless." said Susumu.

"What d'ya mean?" Goku asked.

"I've already achieved a Super Saiyan level."

"WHAT?" both Goku and Haruhi exclaimed together in surprise.

"During the war against Aizen I had transformed during my battle against the Arancars named Coyote Stark and Lilynette Gingerbuck. Being pushed into a corner, I suppose heightened the desperation to survive and thus I transformed with my hair turning blonde and my powers increasing tremendously, giving me a victorious win." Susumu said.

Haruhi's jaw had dropped, though it wasn't hard for her to believe that her brother would be ahead of her. But still…it was unfair!

"Wow, I'm impressed! And you achieved it at such a young age! You did well, son." Goku said, "But just because you've reached Super Saiyan doesn't mean you can skip out on training. Piccolo will train you while I help your sister reach Super Saiyan level."

Susumu tsked, not at all happy to be stuck inside such a disorienting place that was nothing more than empty space with random temperature change and heavy gravity.

"You ready, kid? I won't go easy on you like before." Piccolo said as he walked past Susumu and out into the empty space, away from the house and link back to the real world. "C'mon, hurry up."

With a sigh, Susumu begrudgingly followed after his old teacher.

"While those two train we'll get started on our training, too." Goku said to Haruhi. "You ready?"

"Definitely," Haruhi grinned, ready to get started.

* * *

(Kage Summit)

"X marks the enemy's hideout," said Shikaku as he explained the battle procedures on the map laid out in front of the five kages in the war room. "The location is known as the Mountain's Grave, if they're coming by land they'll march right through the Hidden Mist and Hidden Hot Spring villages."

"Send an evacuation alert to both villages immediately." said Mizukage.

"According to the advanced recon squad, the enemy's forces number is at about one-hundred thousand." said Shikaku, "Considering that, it's likely that only a small fraction will come by sea, but we're in grave danger if they manage to surround us."

"That means the victor will be determined by who strikes first." said Mifune.

"Form an Ambush Squadron!" ordered the Raikage, "Then split the rest of the forces into multiple divisions and get them in formation!"

"Make sure the Medical Logistics Company is properly equipped," said Tsunade, "And Shikaku, make sure the Intel Squads are clear on their route!"

"Contact Ao in the Sensor Company, tell him they need to hurry," said Mizukage to her guard.

"Tsuchikage, we finished this while you were away," said Gaara, sliding something across the table to the eldest Kage. "Here's yours."

"Ooh. They're done already?" asked Tsuchikage, taking what Gaara slid across the table to him. "Well well, so this is our joint armies hitai-ate. Not bad at all."

"I designed them myself, you all, who have been divided, today will fight as one. _Shinobi._" said Mifune, proud of his handiwork as he and the five kages stood up. "And we _Samurai_ will join forces with this _Shinobi_. Let us begin!"

* * *

(Ambush Company)

"I'm Kankurou from the Sand village, I've been made the Ambush Company's Captain." said Kankurou.

"Kankurou-san, is it? What kind of nickname should we give you?" asked Sai.

"What?"

_Are we gonna make it with such a young captain? I mean, what if…what if…_ thought Darui as he began to imagine scenarios of things that could go wrong.

* * *

(Medical Logistics Company)

"My name is Shizune, I've been put in charge of this company. I look forward to serving with you! Speaking of serving, this is Ton-Ton, he is _not_ food!" said Shizune while holding Ton-Ton up in her arms.

* * *

(Sensor Company)

"Sounds like you had a rough time out there, Aoba." said Yamanaka Inoichi, captain of the Sensor Company.

"Yes." said Aoba.

"You're Inoichi-san? I'm Tenga! Man, I've heard so much about you!" said an excited young shinobi.

* * *

(Second Sensor Company)

"Hoo…it's really war." sighed Shi.

"First one for you, huh?" asked Ao, captain of the second Sensor Company.

"Yes," Shi replied.

"Well, stay on task at all times, how well we do our job will have a huge impact on the outcome." said Ao.

* * *

(Joint Shinobi Army)

Gaara stood looking down into the ravine where the joint army all stood in their designated Squadrons, ready for war. And as the acting Commander General, it was his duty to insure success. Standing on either side of him were the three generals next in command and Mifune.

"Being our Commander General, I think you should try to relax and say a few words, Gaara-kun." said Kakashi, General of the third Division.

Gaara looked down into the rocky valley where the joint army stood, awaiting their orders. Never in his life had he even thought such an event would ever happen and that he would be the one to lead such an alliance. It was a day to make history, and it was more than overwhelming. For the first time in his life, he had never felt more afraid.

The army below were already becoming restless with anticipation for war and their confidence in their commander was quickly wavering.

"Can we really win this with such a young commander?" wondered one shinobi.

"Gaara-sama's not like the babies in your village." said a Sand shinobi in Gaara's defense. "Don't run your mouth about people you don't know about!"

"Hah! How would I know when you've been our enemy the whole time?"

"Same here, don't think for a second that I actually trust you people! So watch your tone!"

"No one seems to trust one another." said Hyuuga Hinata, looking to her cousin with worry.

"I'm not surprised, it's hard to maintain a cohesive unit when its members were enemies for years up until yesterday." said Neji, "Especially the Sand and the Stone."

"You want a piece of me?" yelled the Sand ninja, grabbing the Sand ninja by the vest.

"Hell yeah I do, you Sand bastards killed my father! I got no problem taking one of you out!" yelled the Stone ninja, taking hold of the Sand ninja as they began to struggle.

"Knock it off!" another yelled, trying to break them apart.

Sand split the two feuding ninjas apart and all eyes went up to their Commander General who ended the pointless fight.

"Three times now…we've fought world wars for our own nations, our own villages. We've hurt one another. We've hated one another." Gaara began, "That hatred bred a lust for power, and that lust for power created _me._ I was a Jinchuuriki, the _embodiment_ of hatred and power. And I hated this world, and all the people in it…I wanted to destroy it with my own hands. The exact same thing Akatsuki is trying to do today. But one man, one ninja from the Hidden Leaf stopped me.

"I was his enemy, yet he wept for me! I hurt him, yet he called me his friend! He saved me! My enemy, my fellow Jinchuuriki…He suffered the same pain as me, yet he bore no ill will! There are no enemies here because we've all suffered at Akatsuki's hand! So there is no Sand, no Leaf, no Stone, no Mist, and no Cloud! There are only _Shinobi!_ And if you still hold a grudge against the Sand, then when this war is over, come and take my head instead!"

_They've all got a different look on their faces now._ Kakashi thought, seeing the change from doubt and concern disappear and replaced with confidence.

"Our enemies are after the friend who saved my life! If they take him, if we hand him over, our world is finished! I want to protect him, and I want to protect our world! But I'm too young to protect it all on my own! All of you, lend me your aid!"

The ninjas all began to cheer out their alliance to Gaara, now a hundred percent behind the young man, a fire now lit in them all. And so, the fourth shinobi war was at hand as the divisions were all sent out to their designated posts to engage the enemy on the plains.

* * *

**AN: Sorry for taking so long with the updates, I've been having trouble getting through my writer's block so as a head-up to my remaining followers of this story I will be taking a hiatus and hopefully I'll be back by the end of July 2012 with a new kick-ass chapter! Thank you again for your support and reviews.  
**


	29. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-seven

The battlefield was growing intense and the shinobi/samurai armies were shrinking by the hour. As their losses mounted they fought hard to double the loss on the enemy's side. And as night fell on the first day of battle, rest was a luxury that could only be afforded to the dead and seriously wounded.

At the base camp the soldiers were taking turns with guarding the perimeter of their camp for enemy forces, the only natural source of light being the moon. Neji, who was using his Byakugan suddenly collapsed and Kiba who was nearby rushed over.

"Neji! You okay?" he asked.

Neji slowly pushed himself up and nodded his head. "Yeah, I'm fine…"

"Don't kill yourself man, my nose is here to sniff out the enemy, too. Tour eyes don't have to do all the work. Let me handle things for awhile, you should head to the medic tents and get patched up." Kiba sai.

"What's wrong over here?" Kuwabara asked as he came jogging over to them. "What happened?"

"It's nothing." Neji reassured, "I've just strained myself, is all, I'll be fine."

"The hell you will, even at times like this you need to take care of yourself when you need to. Go take a break, I'll take your place." Kuwabara said.

Kiba pulled out a map and opened it up. "The coordinates are behind the centerfolds of all the squads." he began, showing Neji the route.

* * *

Meanwhile at the center of the base camp, it was still like a war zone as the medical ninjas all bustled about. Kurama was among the fray of medics, using his knowledge of plants to create salves that would help fight infection or quickly stop a wound from bleeding out. His help was greatly appreciated by the medics who knew that the last thing they wanted to do was amputate a limb or being unable to stop a bleed in time.

Even Ton-Ton was pulling his weight by carrying crates of medical supplies and medicine around the camp.

In one of the tents, Sakura had just finished patching up a ninja when she called in for the next patient, surprised to see Neji entering the tent. While she turned her back on Neji to give him some privacy while he undressed his upper half she prepared the gauze and medical tape, along with the rubbing alcohol.

She wanted to ask him about Haruhi and Sasuke and how he was managing but she didn't want to seem like she was looking for gossip during such a critical time, so she managed to keep her mouth shut on the topic.

"That takes care of all of the external injuries," she said after finishing patching him up.

"Thanks." Neji said.

"Take this opportunity to get as much rest as you can, okay?"

"Sakura, I've brought you more salve." Kurama said as he came into Sakura's medical tent with a bowl of puke green paste.

"Oh, thank you so much, Shuichi-senpai." Sakura said as she took the bowl from the red-haired shinobi.

"Neji, finally getting your wounds checked I see." Kurama said with his usual friendly manner.

The Hyuuga merely nodded as he began to pull on his clothes. "Any word yet from Haru?" he asked.

Sakura paused and looked back at them both. Waiting.

"Not since she left before the war began." Kurama said, "But knowing Haru she'll show up at the last minute."

"Oh no! We're in trouble!" someone outside yelled. The three of them all hurried out and headed towards where the scene was. "Toyosa, Takemaru, and Hino are all dead!"

Sakura gasped with her hands over her mouth as other nearby medics hurried to the scene as well.

"Someone murdered all three of them!"

"How could this have happened?" Sakura asked.

"A spy must've slipped inside." Kurama said, "And it looks like they're targeting jounin medics at that."

"But how…?" one medic asked, "We're doing very stringent chakra checks on everyone who comes through here."

"Obviously the transformation technique wouldn't work, joint army ninjas are obviously the only people being allowed in." Sakura said, "Which means that there is a high probability that someone in the army is being controlled by the enemy…and it must be a powerful technique."

"That being said, if everyone here is part of the joint army finding the culprit will be a difficult task." said Kurama, "There's no telling who it could be, even everyone standing here right now is thinking that the person standing next to them could be the spy. That doubt will breed suspicion and will put everyone into chaos and that's the last thing we need. We cannot play into the enemy's hand."

"We medic ninjas are the key to winning this war," said another medic, "There's no way the army could battle the immortal edo tensei without our backup."

"If we let this incident paralyze us we'll be at a big disadvantage when the fighting resumes tomorrow." said another medic who was older than the others.

"I'll find our spy, with these eyes." said Neji.

"At any rate, we can't leave the injured to suffer. Resume treating whoever comes in. But everyone watch your back, especially the jounin medics." ordered the older medic.

As they parted to return to their duties, Kurama couldn't help but have a strange feeling about this sudden development and decided to do a bit of investigating of his own without anyone else knowing.

Sakura was in her tent alone, checking through her inventory of supplies when she felt a hand on her shoulder, making her jump and whip around but was relieved to see Neji.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Neji…you scared me." Sakura said.

"It's hard to keep your chin up under these circumstances with an enemy lurking around that we can't even see." he said.

Sakura furrowed her brow a bit, "Yeah, we all have to watch out…"

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the camp perimeter, Kiba and Kuwabara were knelt down by Neji's side who was laying down on a rolled out emergency blanket.

"Are you sure its alright not to head over to the medics tent?" Kiba asked.

"You're getting on my nerves, Kiba. I'm telling you I'm fine!" Neji snapped.

"When you use your Byakugan too much you get pretty mouthy, huh?" Kiba teased, "When somebody works themselves too much in front of you I call it showing off."

"Shut up, Kiba!" Neji yelled though he was facing Akamaru on his other side.

"Oh, hey Kurama." Kuwabara said, standing up as his teammate came up to them.

"Neji? What're you doing here?" Kurama asked.

"He collapsed from exhaustion." Kiba said.

"What's up man, you look like you've just seen a ghost." Kuwabara said.

"If you're here then who's…I have to hurry back!" Kurama said as he whipped around and ran back towards the medics camp.

* * *

(Sakura's Medical Tent)

"By the way, Sakura, do you know where Shizune is right now?" Neji asked.

"Um…do you have any clues as to who is doing this?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah…but not much…No matter how small the detail I have to make sure to report it, though…until we find the enemy."

"Yeah…I'm pretty sure she's inside tent B-2. Right now Shizune's looking at Tonton, her legs are pretty bad it seems."

"I guess that's better than injuring your hands, does she plan on returning to the battlefield?"

Sakura's brows creased a bit in concern for the second time that night, she sensed something wasn't right. "Yeah, there's no way she injured her hands so she can still make seals."

"I see, that's good, by the way, Sakura, could you take a look at my arm one more time? It still hurts a little."

"Sure, come take a seat over here." she said, indicating to the empty stool.

When she turned her back on him Neji made a lunge with a kunai in his hand but was unprepared for Sakura to counter and with one punch, pummeled him into the floor.

"H-how did you know?!"

"Because a pig doesn't have hands." Sakura said as Neji suddenly morphed into the white Zetsu.

"Tonton…is a pig?"

"So you're the criminal!" Sakura yelled, punching him again with all her might. "Even so, how did you change your chakra to Neji's? What kind of jutsu is it? If you don't tell me I'll hit you again!"

"There's only one person with a jutsu like that, maybe I'm not the only one lurking around." said Zetsu.

"You can take the chakra of those you absorb and use it to imitate somebody else you can change your chakra of that person you absorbed it from! Right?"

"Yeah, so what if I can?"

"What's going on?! We heard a loud noise just now!" said a shinobi as he and another came into the tent.

"What is that?" said the other.

"I have something I need to report to headquarters right away! This guy!" Sakura said with affirmation.

"Sakura!" Kurama called, hurrying into the tent and stopped when he took in the scene. "Oh, I see you apprehended the spy."

Once Zetsu was in custody of the interrogation team Kurama told Sakura of where the real Neji was and that he needed medical attention. As he was escorting the pink-haired medic, Kuwabara, Hiei, and Botan met them half-way. With them were Chuu, Rinku, Jin, Touya, Shizuka, and Shishiwakamaru.

"Oh, there you are Kurama," Kuwabara said, "Botan has something to tell us."

"Is that so? Sakura, will you be able to make it the rest of the way on your own?" Kurama asked.

"Yeah, no problem." she replied.

"Sorry about this." he said as he left with his teammates.

"Alright, so Koenma has sent me with news of Haru." Botan began, getting the three's attention as she reached into the sleeve of her kimono and pulled out her small note pad and flipped to the appropriate page. "Haru's search for the legendary Korin's Tower was a success and is now in Kami's Lookout where she is currently undergoing a special type of training in an undisclosed location that will take twenty-four hours to complete."

"Sounds just like Urameshi to go do some last-minute training before a big battle." said Jin.

"I'll say, makes me wonder why I didn't think of it first." said Chu.

"What?! Twenty-four hours?!" Kuwabara exclaimed, "But she's been gone way before that!"

"How much time has passed since Haru went into this special training?" Kurama asked.

"Well, judging from the time I received this message I'd say it's been only six hours." Botan said.

"Where exactly _is_ Korin's Tower?" Hiei asked.

"I believe its somewhere in Rock Country." Botan said, "Its about a few hundred kilometers from the Hidden Stone village."

"Rock Country is pretty far from here, too." Kuwabara said.

"Then that leaves eighteen hours, plus the amount of time it would take for her to get here, so we'll be looking at roughly thirty hours from now." said Touya.

"There's no telling if we'll even be standing by that time." Kuwabara said.

"Speak for yourself, the enemy has not anticipated the fact that there are demons fighting along side you shinobi." said Hiei.

"You know what I mean, Hiei! Why do you have to be so cynical at times like these?!" Kuwabara yelled.

"Regardless, we will prevail and stand strong to the end. Hopefully we won't need Haru to fight this battle." Kurama said.

"But there is a problem," Botan continued, "Unfortunately Koenma-sama had to deny the request for the demons to pass into ningenkai to assist in the shinobi war on behalf of their alliance with Haru."

"How come?" Kuwabara asked.

"Because the risk of demons going rogue or changing alliance is too high." Botan said.

"But they're supposed to be on our side." Kuwabara said.

"Wrong." Hiei said, "They're on Haru's side and she's not even here."

"But still—"

"Hiei's right, Kuwabara," Touya interjected, "Without Haruhi's influence it would become too confusing for the demons and most of them would most likely kill indiscriminately. And even if she were present a good 40% would turn on us and use the opportunity to kill every human on sight, ally or not."

"The odds of receiving their help weren't in our favor to begin with." Kurama added, "We're lucky to even have the help we have."

"It's just a shame Urameshi ain't here ta fight in this war." Jin said.

* * *

(Kami's Lookout)

Dendei and Mr. Popo were standing outside the door to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber as it opened and out stepped Piccolo, followed by Susumu. Susumu's hair had grown out to his shoulders and his physique had changed to a much stronger frame though it was still slim and limber. But power rolled off him in waves.

"Susumu…you've definitely changed." Dendei said, a bit in awe of what he was feeling from his friend.

"Hopefully my time in the chamber has been enough." Susumu said.

Mr. Popo held out a change of clothes for Susumu. "I took the liberty of patching up your father's old clothes. I can also give you a quick haircut before you leave."

"Thank you, Mr. Popo." Susumu said, taking the clothes that were just like his father's, only that instead of orange it was a deep navy blue…his clan's primary color. And on the back was the family insignia of the ghost flame.

"Oh man, I never want to go through that again…" came Haruhi's voice as she dragged herself out of the chamber, looking weary and ready to collapse while Goku and Piccolo came out last.

"It wasn't all that bad, was it?" Goku asked.

Haruhi had also changed physically like her brother—standing a centimeter taller, her dark hair now reaching bellow her butt, and her physique slightly more womanly. And just like her brother, her reiki was stronger and radiated from her like a beacon of light.

"Let's skip the casual talk," said Piccolo, "Susumu, Haru, it's time you two returned to where you're needed and end this war before it spreads outside the ninja world."

Haruhi and her brother exchanged looks before turning to their father who smiled and nodded his head in agreement with Piccolo. Haruhi hugged her father, not wanting to part from him but knew very well that their time together was up. Susumu even joined her, hugging their father together because he too had missed Goku. Being the eldest, he had more memories of his father and shared more experiences together with him than Haruhi did, and to part again was a painful knowledge.

"I'm so proud of you guys." Goku said in a gentle tone as he hugged his children back. "Do your old man proud and live a long and full life, because when we meet again I'll want to hear all about it. And give my love to your mother and Kimiko."

"We will." Haruhi said.

Goku held onto his children for a moment longer before pulling back and looked to each of their faces, wanting to remember them as they were.

"Our time together has meant the world to me and now I have stories to tell my friends in the afterlife and brag about how strong you guys have become." Goku grinned, "Now, it's time for you guys to go and end this war."

"Here is a change of clothes for you too, Haru-chan." said Mr. Popo, handing Haruhi a dark blue gi and a tight black under shirt.

"Thank you." Haruhi said, taking the change of clothes.

After the siblings changed clothes it was time to depart and Haruhi was sad to know that she would never see her father again until she herself passed over to the afterlife.

"Come visit us soon." said , "It tends to get lonely up here."

"Yeah, don't be a stranger." said Dende.

"I promise to come and visit at my next convenience." Susumu said.

"You too, Haru-chan, you're more than welcome to visit us as well." said Dende.

Haruhi smiled and nodded, "Sure thing."

"Remember to stop by Korin's before you fly off to battle, he'll give you some sensu beans. They'll help your friends." said Goku.

"Thanks for everything, tou-san." Haruhi said.

"Yeah, it's been great seeing you again." Susumu added.

Nodding his head, Goku smiled and waved to his children as they both jumped over the edge of the lookout and free-falled to Korin's Tower, using their chakra to slow them down and land gently on the balcony.

"Yo." Korin greeted as Puu zoomed straight towards Haruhi, latching to the side of her head.

"PUUUUUU!" he chirped.

"Hey, Puu. Have you been good while I was gone?" Haruhi asked, happy to see her Spirit Beast.

"Did you learn anything good?" Korin asked.

"Indeed we did." Susumu said.

"Well that's a relief," Korin said as he held out a pouch to Susumu. "Take this, its full of sensu beans, my best batch ever. These should help anyone who is in serious need of them."

"Thanks, Korin-sama." Susumu said, placing the pouch inside the flap of his gi.

"You both carry your father's fire within you, I'm glad to see that his legacy carries on within his children who have grown up so well." Korin said.

"Let's get going, nii-san." Haruhi said, standing on the rail of the balcony.

"Again, thank you, Korin-sama." Susumu said, bowing to the cat before following his sister and both flew off towards the battlefield together.


End file.
